Avaliação da exposição ao mercúrio em famílias de pescadores em Imperatriz, Maranhão

Abstract

In the region of the Tocantins river communities with high fish consumption through diet, located away from the gold mining area in the city of Empress of Maranhão may be exposed to mercury in view of the influence of other factors including environmental contaminants activities and hydroelectric potential of forest fires in this region. The aim of this study was to assess mercury exposure in families of fishermen District Beira Rio, Imperatriz-Maranhão. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving fishing families living in the community Beira Rio, located on the banks of the Tocantins River in the city of Imperatriz, Maranhão. The socio-demographic profile was common to the general Brazilian population and similar to the local population located in other basins. The profile food not fled the rule of dietary patterns of riparian and fish as the main source of dietary protein. The piscivorous species showed significant differences (p <0.01) compared to species herbivorous / omnivorous and detrívoras studied and zooplanctófaga species showed significant differences (p <0.01) compared the two species previously mentioned. Among the 25 families evaluated the lowest average concentration of Hgtotal / family was 0.186 ± 0.043 mg / g and 5.477 ± 2.896 was greater ug / g. Even within acceptable limits, the average concentration of Hgtotal presented by men (1.01 ppm 1.97) was higher than for women (0.69 ppm 0.82) (p <0.05). Conclude that fishing families of Empress have low levels of mercury exposure as a result of dietary intake of fish with low levels of contamination, including fish-eating species, which were below the safety limit for human consumption established by Brazilian standards, serving reference to other studies.