Mercury poisoning in Peru’s Amazon found in nearly 80 per cent of villagers in recent study

Indigenous and riverine communities in the Loreto region of the Peruvian Amazon are facing a serious health crisis due to chronic exposure to mercury, a toxic metal that is polluting the environment and endangering the lives of the people who live there. A recent study conducted by the Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation at Wake Forest University (CINCIA) revealed that nearly 80 per cent of the individuals tested in six communities along the Nanay and Pintuyacu rivers had mercury levels far above the safe limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The primary culprit behind this widespread contamination is illegal gold mining, which has been on the rise in the Amazon region due to soaring gold prices. Illegal miners use mercury to extract gold particles from river silt, and the burning off of this mercury releases toxic vapors that are absorbed by the surrounding environment. This has led to high levels of mercury in the soil, plants, and rivers, posing a significant threat to both the local biodiversity and the health of the communities living in the area.

Mercury poisoning is associated with a range of health issues, including cognitive impairment in adults and irreversible developmental delays in children and babies exposed in utero. The situation in Loreto is particularly concerning, as the average mercury levels found in the tested individuals exceeded the WHO limit by nearly four times. This is a cause for alarm, as the long-term health impacts of this exposure are still unknown.

Despite the efforts of local health authorities to address the issue, the spread of illegal gold mining continues to pose a significant threat to the communities along the Amazon. Without proper intervention, villagers with already high mercury levels may soon approach the worst-recorded cases of mercury contamination, such as the infamous Minamata Bay incident in Japan.

The study conducted by CINCIA also highlighted the villagers’ fish-based diet as a major source of mercury exposure, as methylmercury, a highly toxic form of the metal, accumulates in fish and can have serious health implications, especially for pregnant women and children.

It is imperative that immediate action is taken to address the root cause of this crisis and protect the health and well-being of the Indigenous and riverine communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Government authorities must crack down on illegal gold mining operations and implement measures to prevent further mercury contamination of the environment. Only through concerted efforts and collaboration can we ensure the safety and sustainability of these vulnerable communities and the precious ecosystems they call home.