Mercury contamination in Puerto Rico: the Ciudad Cristiana experience.

Mercury contamination constitutes a serious health problem. Several ecological accidents have occurred in the world due to industrial contamination and consumption of mercury contaminated food. This article summarizes the increased absorption levels of mercury among dwellers of Ciudad Cristiana Housing Project in Humacao, Puerto Rico confirming the exposition to the metal as documented by sediment analysis of the area performed by the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board. This obliged the local government to remove the dwellers from the area because of the probable health hazard.