Water, Applied and Environmental Chemistry Group, University of Córdoba, Cra 6 # 76-103, Montería, 354, Colombia.
Laboratory Toxicology and Environmental Management, University of Córdoba, Cra 6 # 76-103, Montería, 354, Colombia.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019 Apr;26(11):10961-10971. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-04527-1. Epub 2019 Feb 20.
Contamination with mining wastes affects the environmental health and public, especially the human populations that live in these environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxicity and levels of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in blood samples from human populations exposed to mining activities in the upper basin of the San Jorge River. A total of 100 individuals participated in the study, 50 as an exposed group (Bocas de Ure = 15 individuals, Mina el Alacrán = 19 individuals, Torno Rojo = 16 individuals) and 50 individuals participated as the control group. Hg and As contents in blood samples were analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A comet assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes and a micronucleus (MN) cytome assay (BMCyt) in exfoliated buccal cells were used to assess the effects of exposure to heavy metals on human communities located in mining areas. Higher concentrations of Hg and As were observed in human populations located in mining areas. The comet assay and BMCyt data revealed DNA damage and cell death in human communities located in mining areas. A positive association between blood arsenic and genetic damage was found. These data confirm the public health risk of the population near mining sites. Our findings suggest that populations that live at sites close to mining activities have high contents of heavy metals and genotoxic effects, representing a risk to human health.
采矿废物的污染会影响环境健康和公众健康，尤其是生活在这些环境中的人群。本研究旨在评估圣豪尔赫河上游流域采矿活动中暴露人群的血液样本中的遗传毒性和汞（Hg）和砷（As）含量。共有 100 人参加了这项研究，其中 50 人作为暴露组（Bocas de Ure=15 人，Mina el Alacrán=19 人，Torno Rojo=16 人），50 人作为对照组。采用原子吸收分光光度法分析血液样本中的 Hg 和 As 含量。利用外周血淋巴细胞彗星试验和脱落口腔细胞微核（MN）细胞试验（BMCyt）评估暴露于重金属对矿区附近人群的影响。在矿区的人群中观察到更高浓度的 Hg 和 As。彗星试验和 BMCyt 数据显示矿区人群的 DNA 损伤和细胞死亡。血液砷与遗传损伤之间存在正相关。这些数据证实了矿区附近人群的公共卫生风险。我们的研究结果表明，生活在靠近采矿活动的地点的人群含有大量重金属和遗传毒性效应，对人类健康构成威胁。
