Publicações 1989

Mercury concentrations in inland waters of gold-mining areas in Rondônia, Brazil

Wolfgang C. Pfeiffer, Luiz Drude de Lacerda, Olaf Malm, Cristina Maria M. Souza, Ene Gloria da Silveira, Wanderley R. Bastos

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(89)90238-6

Abstract: Total mercury concentrations in water, sediments and fish from the gold-mining areas of Brazil, especially the Amazon region, are presented. Mercury concentrations were variable among rivers, with the highest values found in samples from tributary forest rivers. Concentrations in water samples varied between 0.1 and 8.6 μg l⁻¹, while in bottom sediments they reached 19 800 μg kg⁻¹. Concentrations in edible parts of locally consumed fish reached up to 2700 μg kg⁻¹ wet wt, surpassing by almost five times the Brazilian advisory level for human consumption.