The human mercury (Hg) contamination through the ingestion of fish with high levels
of methylmercury (MeHg) has been characterized in the brazilian Amazonia, mainly in close
riverine communities to mines of gold. The world Health Organization (WHO) advises the
monitoring of women in fertile age, because mercury levels above 10µg/g, in hair samples,
constitute risk of maternalfetal attack. Objective: To evaluate the temporary evolution of the
exhibition levels to the mercury in women in reproductive age of the area of the Tapajós river,
and to correlate these levels with the fish consumption. Methods: It was obtained 361 results
of Hgtotal in hair samples of riverine women in the age group from 12 to 45 years from the
database of the "Program of Mercurial Pollution and Human Health", relative to the period
from 1996 to 2006. Information concerning the weekly ingestion of fish in the years of 2003
and 2006 were collected from epidemic questionnaires. Results: a decrease of the medium
concentration of Hgtotal was observed in the hair of women in fertile age with elapsing of
the years, with averages of 20,7±1,58 µg/g in 1996 and 10,6±1,14 µg/g in 2006. There was
also a significant decrease in the percentile of exposed women besides the level of tolerance,
of 10 g/g, advised by WHO, that represented 84,45% of a total of 45 women in 1996 and
came to be 46,3% of a total of 59 women in 2006. It happened a significant decrease in the
consumption of fish among the years of 2003 and 2006, and even in the women that
maintained a high fish consumption, larger than 10 meals a week, the medium levels of Hg
total reduced among those two years Conclusion: in spite of the decrease of the mercurial
levels in women of Tapajós in the last years provided by the changes in the alimentary habits
of those riverine populations, they still present mercurial levels of risk to the health and the
attack of childbearing, according to WHO.
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