Mercury Scenario in Fish from the Amazon Basin: Exploring the Interplay of Social Groups and Environmental Diversity

Abstract

The Amazon faces significant challenges related to mercury contamination, including naturally elevated concentrations and gold mining activities. Due to mercury’s toxicity and the importance of fish as a protein source for local populations, assessing mercury levels in regional fish is crucial. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding mercury concentrations in many areas of the Amazon basin. This study aims to synthesize the existing literature on mercury concentrations in fish and the exposure of urban and traditional social groups through fish consumption. A systematic review (1990–2022) was conducted for six fish genera (Cichla spp., Hoplias spp. and Plagioscion spp., Leporinus spp., Semaprochilodus spp., and Schizodon spp.) in the Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics) and Scopus (Elsevier) databases. The database consisted of a total of 46 studies and 455 reports. The distribution of studies in the region was not homogeneous. The most studied regions were the Madeira River sub-basin, while the Paru–Jari basin had no studies. Risk deterministic and probabilistic assessments based on Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA, 2007) guidelines showed high risk exposure, especially for traditional communities. Carnivorous fish from lakes and hydroelectric reservoirs, as well as fish from black-water ecosystems, exhibited higher mercury concentrations. In the Amazon region, even if mercury levels in fish muscle do not exceed regulatory limits, the high fish consumption can still elevate health risks for local populations. Monitoring mercury levels across a broader range of fish species, including both carnivorous and non-carnivorous species, especially in communities heavily reliant on fish for their diet, will enable a more accurate risk assessment and provide an opportunity to recommend fish species with lower mercury exposure risk for human consumption. The present study emphasizes the need to protect regions that already exhibit higher levels of mercury—such as lakes, hydroelectric reservoirs, and black-water ecosystems—to ensure food safety and safeguard public health.

Keywords

• methylmercury
• systematic review
• fish consumption
• risk calculation
• traditional communities
• urban communities