Table 1
Mercury levels in fish and hair samples in Amazonian sites.
| LOCATION, YEAR OF PUBLICATION, REFERENCE | POPULATIONS | FISH MERCURY LEVEL (AVERAGE ± SD IN µG/G) | HAIR MERCURY LEVEL* (AVERAGE ± SD IN µG/G) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | |||
| Apaporis Natural Park, 2020 [14] | Yaigojé (Indigenous) | 23.0 ± 1.2 | |
| Puerto Nariño, 2020 [15] | 5.31 ± 0.49 | ||
| Cotuhe Reservation, 2019 [16] | Tikuna (Indigenous) | 10.6 ± 0.4 | |
| Caqueta River, 2016 [17] | 0.10 ± 0.00 – 1.60 ± 0.30 | 15.35 ± 2.53 – 19.67 ± 1.63 | |
| Brazil | |||
| Mucajaí River, Roraima, 2024 [18] | Yanomami adults (Indigenous) | 3.9 ± 1.7 | |
| Mucajaí River, Roraima, 2024 [19] | Yanomami children (Indigenous) | 3.7 (median) | |
| Tapajós River, 2024 [20] | Munduruku (Indigenous) | 5.5 (median) | |
| 17 locations (6 state capitols and 11 municipalities) of the Brazilian Amazon, 2023 [21] | Urban population | 0.13 (median) 0.00–4.73 (range) | |
| Tucuruí Lake, 2023 [22] | Riverine populations | 4.38 (2.35–6.78) – 15.5 (11.9–19.9) | |
| Sawré Muybu Indigenous Land, 2021 [23, 24] | Munduruku (Indigenous) | 0.10 ± 0.09 (non‑piscivorous) 0.44 ± 0.34 (piscivorous) | 7.7 ± 4.5 |
| Paapiu region, Roraima, 2018 Waikás Ye’kuana region, Roraima, 2018 Waikás Aracaçá region, Roraima, 2018 [25] | Yanomami and Ye’kuana (women and children <5yrs Indigenous) | 3.2 (median) range 0.4–8.6 4.5 (median) range 0.4–22.1 15.5 (median) range 4.6‑20.4 | |
| Tapajós River, 2010 [26] | Riverine populations | 0.77 ± 0.67 – 0.23 ± 0.17 | 4.1 ± 1.3 – 24.6 ± 17.8 |
| Peru | |||
| Manu River in Manu National Park, 2022 [27] | Matsigenka (Indigenous) | 7.05 ± 05 | |
| Madre de Dios River, 2018 [28] | 0.18 ± 0.15 – 0.28 ± 0.24 | ||
[i] (*): Compared to the reference doses of 1 µg/g or ppm for the US EPA and 1.6 µg/g or ppm for the WHO.