Silent Burden of Mercury: Environmental Exposure and Determinants Among Indigenous Communities in the Colombian Amazon.
5 affiliations
- 1Research Group on Water, Applied Chemistry, and Environmental Science, University of Córdoba, Montería 230002, Colombia.
- 2BISMA Research Group, Tecnológico de Antioquia, Medellín 050034, Colombia.
- 3Biociencias Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Colegio Mayor de Antioquia, Medellín 050034, Colombia.
- 4Fundación Almadén "Francisco Javier de Villegas", Almadén, 13400 Ciudad Real, Spain.
- 5Instituto Nacional de Salud, Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, Bogotá 111321, Colombia.
Abstract
Mercury contamination remains one of the most persistent environmental and public health challenges in the Amazon, where fish consumption represents the primary pathway of exposure to methylmercury. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of mercury exposure among indigenous communities of Taraira, Vaupés, in the Colombian Amazon. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017 across eleven communities affiliated with the Association of Indigenous Captains of Taraira (ACITAVA). Sociodemographic, occupational, and dietary data were collected through structured interviews, and total mercury concentrations were determined in blood, urine, and hair samples using thermal decomposition-amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (EPA 7473). Among 238 participants (56.3% male; mean age 36.9 years), mean mercury concentrations were 80.4 µg/L in blood, 15.1 µg/L in urine, and 19.8 µg/g in hair, with 100% of blood and hair samples exceeding international reference limits. Higher mercury levels were significantly associated with fish consumption from the Apaporis River, residence in multiple locations within the municipality, and secondary education level (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, blood mercury was the strongest predictor of hair mercury (β = 0.707, p < 0.001), and the model explained 64.5% of the variance. These findings reveal chronic environmental mercury exposure among indigenous populations not directly involved in mining activities, emphasizing the transboundary nature of contamination in Amazonian watersheds. Strengthening biomonitoring programs and promoting safer dietary practices are essential to protect the health and cultural integrity of these vulnerable communities.
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BibTeX
@article{paterninauribe2026silent,
title = {{Silent Burden of Mercury: Environmental Exposure and Determinants Among Indigenous Communities in the Colombian Amazon.}},
author = {Roberth de Jesús Paternina-Uribe and Carlos Federico Molina-Castaño and Catalina María Arango-Alzate and María Luisa Toro-Oviedo and Javier Alonso Ruíz-Guzmán and Angelly Paternina-Vergara and Clelia Calao-Ramos and Santiago Español Cano and Ruth Marien Palma Parra and Sonia Mireya Díaz Criollo and José Luis Marrugo-Negrete},
journal = {Toxics},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/toxics14100880},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931667},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Silent Burden of Mercury: Environmental Exposure and Determinants Among Indigenous Communities in the Colombian Amazon.
AU - Roberth de Jesús Paternina-Uribe
AU - Carlos Federico Molina-Castaño
AU - Catalina María Arango-Alzate
AU - María Luisa Toro-Oviedo
AU - Javier Alonso Ruíz-Guzmán
AU - Angelly Paternina-Vergara
AU - Clelia Calao-Ramos
AU - Santiago Español Cano
AU - Ruth Marien Palma Parra
AU - Sonia Mireya Díaz Criollo
AU - José Luis Marrugo-Negrete
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Toxics
DO - 10.3390/toxics14100880
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931667
AB - Mercury contamination remains one of the most persistent environmental and public health challenges in the Amazon, where fish consumption represents the primary pathway of exposure to methylmercury. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of mercury exposure among indigenous communities of Taraira, Vaupés, in the Colombian Amazon. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017 across eleven communities affiliated with the Association of Indigenous Captains of Taraira (ACITAVA). Sociodemographic, occupational, and dietary data were collected through structured interviews, and total mercury concentrations were determined in blood, urine, and hair samples using thermal decomposition-amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry (EPA 7473). Among 238 participants (56.3% male; mean age 36.9 years), mean mercury concentrations were 80.4 µg/L in blood, 15.1 µg/L in urine, and 19.8 µg/g in hair, with 100% of blood and hair samples exceeding international reference limits. Higher mercury levels were significantly associated with fish consumption from the Apaporis River, residence in multiple locations within the municipality, and secondary education level (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, blood mercury was the strongest predictor of hair mercury (β = 0.707, p < 0.001), and the model explained 64.5% of the variance. These findings reveal chronic environmental mercury exposure among indigenous populations not directly involved in mining activities, emphasizing the transboundary nature of contamination in Amazonian watersheds. Strengthening biomonitoring programs and promoting safer dietary practices are essential to protect the health and cultural integrity of these vulnerable communities.
SN - 2305-6304
ER -