Abstract

CADAVID-MUNOZ, Natalia  and  ARANGO-RUIZ, Álvaro. Mercury as a pollutant and risk factor for human health. Rev. Lasallista Investig. [online]. 2020, vol.17, n.2, pp.280-296.  Epub Aug 24, 2021. ISSN 1794-4449.  https://doi.org/10.22507/rli.v17n2a21.

Mercury (Hg) is currently considered a global pollutant, which also has a negative impact on the health of people who are exposed to it. Among its most serious effects are affectations at the level of the nervous system, which is why it is considered a public health problem that requires adequate attention. Mercury can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation and absorption, which is why populations exposed to activities such as small-scale mining represent an important risk factor on which strategies must be established to mitigate mercury exposure. Taking the foregoing into account, this review article presents the progress and trends of 50 articles consulted from different indexed journals, both nationally and at the Latin American and international level. The evidence is clear: the intervention of larger-scale strategies is urgent to control mercury contamination of food and water supplies and prevent serious damage to human health.

Keywords : mercury; bioaccumulation; food safety; mining; pollution; chemical risk.

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