title: Mercury contamination in alligators (Melanosuchus niger) from Mamirauá Reservoir (Brazilian Amazon) and human health risk assessment.
abstract: Mercury (Hg) concentrations in muscles of wild alligators (Melanosuchus niger) from the Mamirauá Reservoir (a reference area in the Brazilian Amazon) and the human health risks associated with its consumption were assessed. The mean Hg concentration in alligator muscles was 0.407 ± 0.114 μg/g (N = 61). Close to 5 % of the muscle samples showed Hg levels above the World Health Organization guideline for fish consumption (0.5 μg/g). A positive and significant relationship was observed between Hg concentrations in muscle and the age of the specimens. The dose-response approach suggests that close to 27.4 years is required for half of the exposed specimens to attain 0.5 μg/g. The hazard quotient (HQ) is a risk indicator which defines the ratio of exposure level and a toxicological reference dose. HQ resulted above the unity for all the specimens when the ingestion rate for riverine communities (200 g of muscle per day) is considered, indicating the existence of hazard. When the ingestion rate for market consumers (28.57 g/day) is considered, the risks are much lower (mean HQ = 0.55), suggesting that such group is not at risk. The establishment of local and regional ingestion rates for riverine populations and market consumers is extremely recommended.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Saúde e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Belém, PA, Brazil, jozeliac@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jozélia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cesar
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marsico
authors.forename: George Tadeu Nunes
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: Mauricio Camargo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zorro
authors.forename: Zuleica
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Castilhos
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000489:Alligators and Crocodiles; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury