Environmental Pollutants, Neurocognitive Disorders and Other Health Outcomes in Autochthones Populations Worldwide

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurotoxicity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 8593

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Endemic Diseases Samuel Pessoa, Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21041-210, Brazil
Interests: mercury poisoning; neurologic; neurologic plumbism; arsenic encephalopathy; cadmium; air pollutants; environmental; indigenous health service; american Indians; First Nations; epidemiology; Amazon
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Guest Editor
Departamento de Saneamento e Saúde Ambiental, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões 1480, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-210, RJ, Brazil
Interests: environmental health; risk assessment; environmental contamination; indigenous populations; Amazon; health communication

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue "Environmental Pollutants, Neurocognitive Disorders and Other Health Outcomes in Autochthones Populations Worldwide" aims to identify ongoing research devoted to exploring and debating the current findings about neurocognitive disorders due to exposure to environmental pollutants, focusing on, but not restricted to, the harmful effects of mercury poisoning from gold mining activities, especially under indigenous and traditional populations worldwide. We encourage authors to submit papers and share with us their fresher studies, in order to give more visibility to the topic, and contribute to clarifying uncertainty points about the theme, as well as valorize the perspectives of the native people affected.

The topic of global pollutants has gained great visibility on the public health agenda in recent times. Catastrophes such as the Minamata Disaster, the Iraq grain poisoning, and Burkina Faso gold mining pollution have spread several health problems related to mercury contamination to the affected communities. The aluminum toxic spill in Hungary, the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the USA, lead poisoning in the Dominican Republic, the Bhopal gas tragedy in India, toxic waste dumping in Ivory Coast, and the Dioxin disaster in Seveso, Italy are emblematic examples of the problems related to this Special Issue, "Environmental Pollutants, Neurocognitive Disorders and Other Health Outcomes in Autochthones Populations Worldwide". More recently, the Brumadinho dam collapses in Brazil and the impacts promoted by illegal gold mining activities on the Amazon's traditional territories have affected many people in Latin America, revealing the importance of researchers from different parts of the world contributing to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Paulo Cesar Basta
Dr. Ana Claudia Santiago De Vasconcellos
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • mercury poisoning
  • neurologic
  • neurologic plumbism
  • arsenic encephalopathy
  • cadmium
  • air pollutants
  • environmental
  • indigenous health service
  • American Indians
  • First Nations
  • epidemiology
  • amazon

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 9277 KiB  
Article
Environmental Geochemical Analysis in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, Mucajaí River Basin, State of Roraima, Brazil
by Patricia Duringer Jacques, Eduardo Paim Viglio and Daniel de Oliveira d’El Rei Pinto
Toxics 2023, 11(10), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11100861 - 14 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1556
Abstract
The Yanomami Indigenous Land in the Amazon has a long history of illegal artisanal gold mining, leading to concerns about mercury (Hg) contamination. This study has conducted a geochemical analysis to assess Hg contamination from these mining activities. Geological materials, including river water [...] Read more.
The Yanomami Indigenous Land in the Amazon has a long history of illegal artisanal gold mining, leading to concerns about mercury (Hg) contamination. This study has conducted a geochemical analysis to assess Hg contamination from these mining activities. Geological materials, including river water and stream sediments, were collected from 14 predetermined points based on the Geological Survey of Brazil’s methodology. The results revealed that water samples did not show Hg contamination above the limits set by the National Council of the Environment (Conama) Resolution 357. However, two stream sediment samples, particularly PJS009 and PJS010 collected from the Mucajaí River, exceeded the Conama Resolution 454’s limit of 0.17 mg/kg. A Hg content of 0.344 mg/kg was found in the sediment sample PJS009, the one collected further upstream in the Mucajaí River, and 1.386 mg/kg was found in sample PJS010, also in the Mucajaí River in the region shortly before the Fumaça Waterfall, indicating that the sediments of the Mucajaí River may be contaminated with Hg from the Fumaça Waterfall upstream. Full article
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23 pages, 2251 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Anti-Alzheimer Pursuit of Jambolan Fruit Extract and/or Choline against AlCl3 Toxicity in Rats
by Zeinab Abdel Salam Hawash, Ensaf M. Yassien, Badriyah S. Alotaibi, Amira M. El-Moslemany and Mustafa Shukry
Toxics 2023, 11(6), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11060509 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1964
Abstract
Jambolan fruit extract and choline were investigated for Aluminum tri chloride (AlCl3)-induced Alzheimer’s disease in rats. Thirty-six male “Sprague Dawley” rats weighing (150 ± 10 g) were allocated into six groups; the first group was fed a baseline diet and served [...] Read more.
Jambolan fruit extract and choline were investigated for Aluminum tri chloride (AlCl3)-induced Alzheimer’s disease in rats. Thirty-six male “Sprague Dawley” rats weighing (150 ± 10 g) were allocated into six groups; the first group was fed a baseline diet and served as a negative control. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was induced in Group 2 rats by oral administration of AlCl3 (17 mg/kg body weight) dissolved in distilled water (served as a positive control). Rats in Group 3 were orally supplemented concomitantly with both 500 mg/kg BW of an ethanolic extract of jambolan fruit once daily for 28 days and AlCl3 (17 mg/kg body weight). Group 4: Rivastigmine (RIVA) aqueous infusion (0.3 mg/kg BW/day) was given orally to rats as a reference drug concomitantly with oral supplementation of AlCl3 (17 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. Group 5 rats were orally treated with choline (1.1 g/kg) concomitantly with oral supplementation of AlCl3 (17 mg/kg body weight). Group 6 was given 500 mg/kg of jambolan fruit ethanolic extract and 1.1 g/kg of choline orally to test for additive effects concurrently with oral supplementation of AlCl3 (17 mg/kg bw) for 28 days. Body weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency ratio, and relative brain, liver, kidney, and spleen weight were calculated after the trial. Brain tissue assessment was analyzed for antioxidant/oxidant markers, biochemical analysis in blood serum, a phenolic compound in Jambolan fruits extracted by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and histopathology of the brain. The results showed that Jambolan fruit extract and choline chloride improved brain functions, histopathology, and antioxidant enzyme activity compared with the positive group. In conclusion, administering jambolan fruit extract and choline can lower the toxic impacts of aluminum chloride on the brain. Full article
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13 pages, 641 KiB  
Article
Chronic Mercury Exposure and GSTP1 Polymorphism in Munduruku Indigenous from Brazilian Amazon
by Mayara Calixto da Silva, Rogério Adas Ayres de Oliveira, Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos, Bruno Hojo Rebouças, Bruna Duarte Pinto, Marcelo de Oliveira Lima, Iracina Maura de Jesus, Daniel Escorsim Machado, Sandra Souza Hacon, Paulo Cesar Basta and Jamila Alessandra Perini
Toxics 2023, 11(2), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020138 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2362
Abstract
Genetic polymorphisms may be involved with mercury levels and signs and symptoms of intoxication from this exposure. Therefore, the aims were to describe the frequency of the GSTP1 polymorphism and to evaluate its effects on mercury levels and neurological signs in three Munduruku [...] Read more.
Genetic polymorphisms may be involved with mercury levels and signs and symptoms of intoxication from this exposure. Therefore, the aims were to describe the frequency of the GSTP1 polymorphism and to evaluate its effects on mercury levels and neurological signs in three Munduruku indigenous villages in the Brazilian Amazon. One-hundred-and-seven indigenous (over 12 years old) were included and genotyped (rs1695) using a TaqMan validated assay. Then, associations were evaluated by binary logistic regression, using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Mean age was 27.4 ± 13.9 years old, 52.3% were male, mean hair mercury concentration was 8.5 ± 4.3, exceeding the reference limit (≥6.0 µg/g), and were different among the three villages: 13.5 ± 4.6 µg/g in Sawré Aboy, 7.4 ± 2.3 µg/g in Poxo Muybu and 6.9 ± 3.5 µg/g in Sawré Muybu. The minor allele frequency of GSTP1 G was significantly different among the villages: 57% Sawré Muybu, 21% Poxo Muybu and 15% Sawré Aboy. Finally, after adjustment, GSTP1 GG and GA genotypes were associated with lower levels of Hg (OR = 0.13; CI95% = 0.03–0.49) and abnormal somatosensory signs (OR = 3.7; 95%IC = 1.5–9.3), respectively. In conclusion, monitoring this population is imperative to identify individuals at higher risk of developing signs of chronic mercury exposure based on the genetic profile. Full article
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Review

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18 pages, 2335 KiB  
Review
Revisiting Genetic Influence on Mercury Exposure and Intoxication in Humans: A Scoping Review
by Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez, Jean Ludger Barthelemy, Amanda Lopes-Araújo, Leticia Santos-Sacramento, Caio Gustavo Leal-Nazaré, Isabela Soares-Silva, Barbarella M. Macchi, José Luiz M. do Nascimento, Gabriela de Paula Arrifano and Marcus Augusto-Oliveira
Toxics 2023, 11(12), 967; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11120967 - 29 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1814
Abstract
Human intoxication to mercury is a worldwide health problem. In addition to the type and length of exposure, the genetic background plays an important role in mercury poisoning. However, reviews on the genetic influence in mercury toxicity are scarce and not systematic. Therefore, [...] Read more.
Human intoxication to mercury is a worldwide health problem. In addition to the type and length of exposure, the genetic background plays an important role in mercury poisoning. However, reviews on the genetic influence in mercury toxicity are scarce and not systematic. Therefore, this review aimed to systematically overview the most recent evidence on the genetic influence (using single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) on human mercury poisoning. Three different databases (PubMed/Medline, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched, and 380 studies were found that were published from 2015 to 2022. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 29 studies were selected and data on characteristics (year, country, profile of participants) and results (mercury biomarkers and quantitation, SNPs, main findings) were extracted and analyzed. The largest number of studies was performed in Brazil, mainly involving traditional populations of the Tapajós River basin. Most studies evaluated the influence of the SNPs related to genes of the glutathione system (GST, GPx, etc.), the ATP-binding cassette transporters and the metallothionein proteins. The recent findings regarding other SNPs, such as those of apolipoprotein E and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genes, are also highlighted. The importance of the exposure level is discussed considering the possible biphasic behavior of the genetic modulation phenomena that could explain some SNP associations. Overall, recommendations are provided for future studies based on the analysis obtained in this scoping review. Full article
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