Indigenous people from nine communities in Yanomami Land have a high level of mercury contamination, warns a new study by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA). The research, published on Thursday (4), shows that 94 per cent of the indigenous people who took part in the study are contaminated by the heavy metal. Hair samples were collected from 287 indigenous people from the Ninam subgroup of the Yanomami people, and revealed that those living in villages closest to illegal mining sites have the highest levels of exposure to mercury. The communities that took part in the research are located on the banks of the Mucajaí River, one of the most affected by illegal mining in Yanomami Land. Located in Amazonas and Roraima, the territory is home to 31,000 indigenous people who live in 370 villages. The samples were collected in October 2022 in the Caju, Chestnut, Ilha, Ilihimakok, Lasasi, Milikowaxi, Porapi, Pewaú and Uxiú communities, all in the Upper Mucajaí River region. The choice of villages was at the request of the Texoli Ninam Indigenous Association. Of the 287 hair samples examined, 84 per cent registered mercury contamination levels above 2.0 μg/g (microgram per gram). A further 10.8 per cent were above 6.0 μg/g. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mercury levels in hair should not exceed 1 microgram per gram. The researchers point out that indigenous people with higher mercury levels showed cognitive deficits and nerve damage in the extremities, such as the hands, arms, feet and legs, more often. The study also collected oral mucosa cells, which totalled around 300 people analysed. All those examined, including men, women, children, adults and the elderly, showed levels of mercury in their bodies.

Source: Amazon Agency