Area of Toxicology, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de La Conservación, Laboratorio Ecotono, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional Del Comahue), Bariloche, Argentina.
Environ Res. 2019 Sep;176:108462. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.04.029. Epub 2019 May 31.
Emissions of metals and metalloids (Hg; Cd; Cr; Cu; Pb; Ni; Zn; Fe; Mn; As; Se) generated by natural (e.g., geothermal activity) or anthropic causes (eg., industry or mining) represent a worldwide contamination problem, especially in developing countries. Exposure to high concentrations of these elements is harmful to living beings, including humans. Information on this type of contamination is scarce and fragmented, limiting research which could benefit from these data. To know the state of the research, we reviewed the studies of environmental pollution by metals and metalloids carried out on animal species in Latin America. The use of animals as biomonitors of contamination by metals and metalloids is a continuously expanding practice that allows for early detection of problems. With this work, we were able to identify the most studied areas in Latin America (Amazon, Gulf of California, coastal area between Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis and River Plate Estuary). Moreover, we provide information on the most studied metals (Hg, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) and wild species, which evidence the use of endangered species. The data reviewed should help researchers to direct their efforts towards sparsely researched areas and facilitate bibliographic consultation of scientific information on exposure to metals and metalloids in Latin America.
自然（如地热活动）或人为（如工业或采矿）产生的金属和类金属（汞；镉；铬；铜；铅；镍；锌；铁；锰；砷；硒）排放物是一个全球性的污染问题，特别是在发展中国家。接触这些元素的高浓度对包括人类在内的生物都是有害的。关于此类污染的信息稀缺且零散，限制了可能受益于这些数据的研究。为了了解研究现状，我们回顾了在拉丁美洲的动物物种中进行的金属和类金属环境污染研究。利用动物作为金属和类金属污染的生物监测器是一种不断扩展的实践，可以早期发现问题。通过这项工作，我们能够确定拉丁美洲研究最多的地区（亚马逊、加利福尼亚湾、里约热内卢和弗洛里亚诺波利斯之间的沿海地区以及拉普拉塔河口）。此外，我们还提供了关于研究最多的金属（汞、镉、铜、铅、锌）和野生物种的信息，这些信息证明了濒危物种的使用。审查的数据应该有助于研究人员将精力集中在研究较少的地区，并促进拉丁美洲金属和类金属暴露的科学信息的文献咨询。
