Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining

Background: Mercury is an element that cannot be destroyed and is a global threat to human and environmental health. In Latin America and the Caribbean, artisanal and small-scale gold mining represents the main source of mercury emissions, releases, and consumption. However, another source of concer...

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Autores principales:	Andrea Camacho, Evelyn Van Brussel, Leticia Carrizales, Rogelio Flores-Ramírez, Beatriz Verduzco, Selene Ruvalcaba-Aranda Huerta, Mauricio Leon, Fernando Díaz-Barriga
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Ubiquity Press 2016
Materias:	mercury mining Minamata Convention children's environmental health Mexico Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/bbd53af3f9e34bf18cbfaa121879dd09
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:bbd53af3f9e34bf18cbfaa121879dd092021-12-02T03:52:56ZMercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining2214-999610.1016/j.aogh.2016.01.014https://doaj.org/article/bbd53af3f9e34bf18cbfaa121879dd092016-06-01T00:00:00Zhttps://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/1172https://doaj.org/toc/2214-9996Background: Mercury is an element that cannot be destroyed and is a global threat to human and environmental health. In Latin America and the Caribbean, artisanal and small-scale gold mining represents the main source of mercury emissions, releases, and consumption. However, another source of concern is the primary production of mercury. In the case of Mexico, in the past 2 years the informal production of mercury mining has increased 10-fold. Considering this scenario, an intervention program was initiated to reduce health risks in the mining communities. The program's final goal is to introduce different alternatives in line to stop the mining of mercury, but introducing at the same time, a community-based development program. Objective: The aim of this study was to present results from a preliminary study in the community of Plazuela, located in the municipality of Peñamiller in the State of Queretaro, Mexico. Methods: Total mercury was measured in urine and environmental samples using <a title="Learn more about Atomic Absorption Spectrometry" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/atomic-absorption-spectrometry">atomic absorption spectrometry</a> by cold vapor technique. Urine samples were collected from children aged 6-14 years and who had lived in the selected area from birth. Urine samples were also collected from miners who were currently working in the mine. To confirm the presence of mercury in the community, mining waste, water, soil, and sediment samples were collected from those high-risk areas identified by members of the community. Findings: Children, women, and miners were heavily exposed to mercury (urine samples); and in agreement, we registered high concentrations of mercury in soils and sediments. Conclusion: Considering these results and taking into account that the risk perception toward mercury toxicity is very low in the community (mining is the only economic activity), an integral intervention program has started.Andrea CamachoEvelyn Van BrusselLeticia CarrizalesRogelio Flores-RamírezBeatriz VerduzcoSelene Ruvalcaba-Aranda HuertaMauricio LeonFernando Díaz-BarrigaUbiquity PressarticlemercuryminingMinamata Conventionchildren's environmental healthMexicoInfectious and parasitic diseasesRC109-216Public aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENAnnals of Global Health, Vol 82, Iss 1, Pp 149-155 (2016)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	mercury mining Minamata Convention children's environmental health Mexico Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	mercury mining Minamata Convention children's environmental health Mexico Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Andrea Camacho Evelyn Van Brussel Leticia Carrizales Rogelio Flores-Ramírez Beatriz Verduzco Selene Ruvalcaba-Aranda Huerta Mauricio Leon Fernando Díaz-Barriga Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining
description	Background: Mercury is an element that cannot be destroyed and is a global threat to human and environmental health. In Latin America and the Caribbean, artisanal and small-scale gold mining represents the main source of mercury emissions, releases, and consumption. However, another source of concern is the primary production of mercury. In the case of Mexico, in the past 2 years the informal production of mercury mining has increased 10-fold. Considering this scenario, an intervention program was initiated to reduce health risks in the mining communities. The program's final goal is to introduce different alternatives in line to stop the mining of mercury, but introducing at the same time, a community-based development program. Objective: The aim of this study was to present results from a preliminary study in the community of Plazuela, located in the municipality of Peñamiller in the State of Queretaro, Mexico. Methods: Total mercury was measured in urine and environmental samples using <a title="Learn more about Atomic Absorption Spectrometry" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/atomic-absorption-spectrometry">atomic absorption spectrometry</a> by cold vapor technique. Urine samples were collected from children aged 6-14 years and who had lived in the selected area from birth. Urine samples were also collected from miners who were currently working in the mine. To confirm the presence of mercury in the community, mining waste, water, soil, and sediment samples were collected from those high-risk areas identified by members of the community. Findings: Children, women, and miners were heavily exposed to mercury (urine samples); and in agreement, we registered high concentrations of mercury in soils and sediments. Conclusion: Considering these results and taking into account that the risk perception toward mercury toxicity is very low in the community (mining is the only economic activity), an integral intervention program has started.
format	article
author	Andrea Camacho Evelyn Van Brussel Leticia Carrizales Rogelio Flores-Ramírez Beatriz Verduzco Selene Ruvalcaba-Aranda Huerta Mauricio Leon Fernando Díaz-Barriga
author_facet	Andrea Camacho Evelyn Van Brussel Leticia Carrizales Rogelio Flores-Ramírez Beatriz Verduzco Selene Ruvalcaba-Aranda Huerta Mauricio Leon Fernando Díaz-Barriga
author_sort	Andrea Camacho
title	Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining
title_short	Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining
title_full	Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining
title_fullStr	Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining
title_full_unstemmed	Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining
title_sort	mercury mining in mexico: i. community engagement to improve health outcomes from artisanal mining
publisher	Ubiquity Press
publishDate	2016
url	https://doaj.org/article/bbd53af3f9e34bf18cbfaa121879dd09
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Mercury Mining in Mexico: I. Community Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes from Artisanal Mining

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