Report Finds Amazon Tribe Has High Mercury Levels
2024-04-11
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1The Yanomami tribe of Brazil is the largest native tribe in the Amazon rainforest.
2The group has little contact with the rest of Brazil.
3But a recent report says that many of the Yanomami have come into contact with the poisonous metal mercury.
4Brazil's top public health organization released a report saying the mercury is coming from illegal gold mining.
5The researchers went to nine villages along the Mucajaí River.
6It is in an area that is far from major cities and where illegal mining is widespread.
7In gold mining, mercury is often used to purify gold.
8The researchers collected hair from nearly 300 Yanomami members of all ages.
9Medical specialists then examined the hair.
10Eighty-four percent of the Yanomami tested had been contaminated.
11The contamination was equal to or above two micrograms per gram.
12The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency say such levels can lead to several health problems.
13Ten percent of the group had more than six micrograms per gram.
14That level is linked to severe medical conditions.
15Research teams also tested fish in the area.
16They found high levels of mercury in the fish too.
17Eating fish with high mercury levels is the most common path to exposure.
18Exposure studies usually test for methylmercury.
19It is a powerful neurotoxin formed when bacteria process mercury.
20Taking in large amounts over weeks or months damages the nervous system.
21The chemical can also pass from a mother to a baby during pregnancy.
22The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says exposure can cause developmental abnormalities in babies.
23Health effects include decreased sensitivity in the legs, feet, and hands, overall weakness, and hearing a ringing sound in the ears.
24In some cases, it can lead to difficulties moving.
25The 2013 Minamata Convention is a United Nations-supported agreement signed by 148 parties aiming to reduce mercury pollution. Brazil signed the agreement.
26Other scientists have not reviewed the Brazilian government report.
27But it uses information from three papers recently released in the publication Toxics, all based on the same field work.
28One of the studies noted that deciding what problems long-term mercury exposure creates remains difficult.
29Maria Elena Crespo López is a scientist at the Federal University of Pará.
30She was not involved in research. She has studied the subject for 20 years.
31She told the Associated Press (AP), "The mercury problem is widespread throughout the Amazon."
32She said that mercury has been released in the area since the 1970s when gold mining started.
33She said it ends up being transported over long distances and enters the food system.
34The publication Environmental Health Perspectives in 2018 said the Amazon River area communities are one of four areas of most concern.
35The WHO lists small-scale gold mining as the largest cause of contamination by humans.
36The Yanomami territory is an area the size of Portugal and has a population of 27,000.
37There has been illegal activity in the area for many years.
38The AP says the mining problem increased during the four-year term of President Jair Bolsonaro, which ended in 2022.
39The AP said Bolsonaro limited Brazil's environment protection agencies.
40This took place during a period when gold prices were increasing.
41Rising prices could have increased mining activity in Yanomami territory.
42Paulo Basta is a scientist with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a scientific group.
43He led the testing.
44He said the research took place near the end of Bolsonaro's term.
45He told the AP that the Mucajaí area had many illegal miners.
46During 10 days of testing, 22 researchers were protected by four armed military police.
47Basta said 30 to 35 small planes flew to and from illegal mining places each day.
48He said, "The tension was present throughout our entire stay in the village. I have been working in indigenous villages for 25 years, and it was the most tense work I have done."
49Current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has promised to expel gold miners from Yanomami territory and to improve health conditions.
50Yanomami leader Dário Kopenawa said in a statement, "Mining is the biggest threat we face in Yanomami land today."
51Of the mining, he said, "This research provides concrete evidence of it."
52I'm Gena Bennett. And I'm Gregory Stachel.
1The Yanomami tribe of Brazil is the largest native tribe in the Amazon rainforest. 2The group has little contact with the rest of Brazil. But a recent report says that many of the Yanomami have come into contact with the poisonous metal mercury. 3Brazil's top public health organization released a report saying the mercury is coming from illegal gold mining. The researchers went to nine villages along the Mucajaí River. It is in an area that is far from major cities and where illegal mining is widespread. In gold mining, mercury is often used to purify gold. 4The researchers collected hair from nearly 300 Yanomami members of all ages. Medical specialists then examined the hair. Eighty-four percent of the Yanomami tested had been contaminated. The contamination was equal to or above two micrograms per gram. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency say such levels can lead to several health problems. 5Ten percent of the group had more than six micrograms per gram. That level is linked to severe medical conditions. 6Research teams also tested fish in the area. They found high levels of mercury in the fish too. Eating fish with high mercury levels is the most common path to exposure. 7Exposure studies usually test for methylmercury. It is a powerful neurotoxin formed when bacteria process mercury. Taking in large amounts over weeks or months damages the nervous system. 8The chemical can also pass from a mother to a baby during pregnancy. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says exposure can cause developmental abnormalities in babies. 9Health effects include decreased sensitivity in the legs, feet, and hands, overall weakness, and hearing a ringing sound in the ears. In some cases, it can lead to difficulties moving. 10The 2013 Minamata Convention is a United Nations-supported agreement signed by 148 parties aiming to reduce mercury pollution. Brazil signed the agreement. 11Other scientists have not reviewed the Brazilian government report. But it uses information from three papers recently released in the publication Toxics, all based on the same field work. 12One of the studies noted that deciding what problems long-term mercury exposure creates remains difficult. 13Maria Elena Crespo López is a scientist at the Federal University of Pará. She was not involved in research. She has studied the subject for 20 years. 14She told the Associated Press (AP), "The mercury problem is widespread throughout the Amazon." She said that mercury has been released in the area since the 1970s when gold mining started. She said it ends up being transported over long distances and enters the food system. 15The publication Environmental Health Perspectives in 2018 said the Amazon River area communities are one of four areas of most concern. 16The WHO lists small-scale gold mining as the largest cause of contamination by humans. The Yanomami territory is an area the size of Portugal and has a population of 27,000. There has been illegal activity in the area for many years. 17The AP says the mining problem increased during the four-year term of President Jair Bolsonaro, which ended in 2022. The AP said Bolsonaro limited Brazil's environment protection agencies. This took place during a period when gold prices were increasing. Rising prices could have increased mining activity in Yanomami territory. 18Paulo Basta is a scientist with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a scientific group. He led the testing. He said the research took place near the end of Bolsonaro's term. He told the AP that the Mucajaí area had many illegal miners. 19During 10 days of testing, 22 researchers were protected by four armed military police. Basta said 30 to 35 small planes flew to and from illegal mining places each day. 20He said, "The tension was present throughout our entire stay in the village. I have been working in indigenous villages for 25 years, and it was the most tense work I have done." 21Current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has promised to expel gold miners from Yanomami territory and to improve health conditions. 22Yanomami leader Dário Kopenawa said in a statement, "Mining is the biggest threat we face in Yanomami land today." Of the mining, he said, "This research provides concrete evidence of it." 23I'm Gena Bennett. And I'm Gregory Stachel. 24Seth Borenstein reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 25______________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27contaminate - v. to make (something) dangerous, dirty, or impure by adding something harmful or undesirable to it 28exposure - n. the fact or condition of being affected by something or experiencing something 29nervous system - n. the system of nerves in your body that sends messages for controlling movement and feeling between the brain and the other parts of the body 30small-scale - adj. small in size especially compared to industrial or advanced levels 31entire - adj. involving all of something 32indigenous -adj. native to or coming from a certain place or geographical area 33concrete -adj. something that is sure or strong