Carlos Colmenero
Research Subjects
Carlos Colmenero has a total of 4 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Marcelo Oliveira-Da-Costa
SARDI, South American River Dolphin Initiative, Coalition for River Dolphin Protection Formed by all South American Amazonian countries
1 shared publication - Maria Vinograd
Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London SW7 1NE, UK
1 shared publication - Rodrigo Balbueno
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Brazil), Brasília 70377-540, Brazil
1 shared publication - Vitor Sousa Domingues
Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, C.P. 486, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
Mercury Dynamics and Bioaccumulation Risk Assessment in Three Gold Mining-Impacted Amazon River Basins
Mercury contamination from gold mining in the Amazon poses significant environmental and health threats to the biome and its local populations. The recent expansion of non-industrial mining areas has severely impacted territories occupied by traditional communities. To address the lack of sampling data in the region and better understand mercury dynamics, this study used the probabilistic model SERAFM to estimate the mercury distribution and bioaccumulation in fish. The analysis covered 8,259 sub-basins across three major Amazonian basins: the Branco, Tapajós and Xingu rivers. The findings revealed increasing downstream mercury levels, with notable accumulations in the main watercourses influenced by methylation processes and mining releases. The projected concentrations showed that an average of 27.47% of the sub-basins might not comply with Brazilian regulations, rising to 52.38% in the Branco and Tapajós river basins separately. The risk assessment of fish consumption based on the projections highlighted high mercury exposure levels among traditional communities, particularly indigenous populations, with an average of 49.79% facing an extremely high risk in the Branco and Tapajós river basins. This study demonstrated SERAFM’s capacity to fill information gaps in the Amazon while underscoring the need for enhanced data collection, culturally sensitive interventions and regulatory updates to mitigate mercury contamination in gold mining-affected areas.
Open AccessMercury Dynamics and Bioaccumulation Risk Assessment in Three Gold Mining-Impacted Amazon River Basins
Mercury contamination from gold mining in the Amazon poses significant environmental and health threats to the biome and its local populations. The recent expansion of non-industrial mining areas has severely impacted territories occupied by traditional communities. To address the lack of sampling data in the region and better understand mercury dynamics, this study used the probabilistic model SERAFM to estimate the mercury distribution and bioaccumulation in fish. The analysis covered 8,259 sub-basins across three major Amazonian basins: the Branco, Tapajós and Xingu rivers. The findings revealed increasing downstream mercury levels, with notable accumulations in the main watercourses influenced by methylation processes and mining releases. The projected concentrations showed that an average of 27.47% of the sub-basins might not comply with Brazilian regulations, rising to 52.38% in the Branco and Tapajós river basins separately. The risk assessment of fish consumption based on the projections highlighted high mercury exposure levels among traditional communities, particularly indigenous populations, with an average of 49.79% facing an extremely high risk in the Branco and Tapajós river basins. This study demonstrated SERAFM’s capacity to fill information gaps in the Amazon while underscoring the need for enhanced data collection, culturally sensitive interventions and regulatory updates to mitigate mercury contamination in gold mining-affected areas.