River Transport of Mercury from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining and Risks for Dietary Mercury Exposure in Madre de Dios, Peru

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a major contributor to deforestation and the largest anthropogenic source of atmospheric mercury worldwide. Despite significant information on the direct health impacts of mercury to ASGM miners, the impact of mercury contamination on downstream communities has not been well characterized, particularly in Peru’s Madre de Dios Region. In this area ASGM has increased significantly since 2000 and has led to substantial political and social controversy. This research examined the spatial distribution and transport of mercury through the Madre de Dios River with distance from ASGM activity. This study also characterized risks for dietary mercury exposure to local residents who depend on fish from the river.
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2014/EM/C4EM00567H?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2FEM+(RSC+-+J.+Environ.+Monit.+latest+articles)#!divAbstract