Introduction:

Indigenous Zenu residents living near the Cerro Matoso ferronickel mine (Montelibano, Cordoba, Colombia) have complained for many years about adverse health effects.

Objective:

To explore the perception of sources of pollution, adverse health effects and arsenic levels in the hair of residents near the mine in 2015.

Case presentation:

Two nominal grouping sessions were conducted (with men and women, separately). The skin of 15 individuals was examined for spots suggestive of hydroarsenicism. Seven hair samples were collected from women and sent to the Centre de Toxicologie du Québec for analysis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The proximal, medium and distal segments of the hair were evaluated (n=21). The participants identified the ferronickel mine as the main source of pollution in the region. The exposure pathways they reported correspond to those recognized by environmental health for NiO and arsenic. The perceived adverse effects from the pollution are consistent with what can be expected when NiO and arsenic are present. The arsenic concentrations in hair ranged from 0.011 to 0.26 μg/g. The highest occurred roughly three years earlier in a girl who was 9 years old at that time.

Conclusions:

Exposure to arsenic near the ferronickel mine was confirmed, in addition to NiO, mercury and other metals. Future studies could explore the occurrence of adverse effects from arsenic, such as cancer, dermatosis, high blood pressure and reproductive and cardiovascular disorders.