HERA - Environmental Risk Assessment of a contaminated estuarine environment: a...

• Author(s): Martinho, Ana Paula ; Rodrigo, Ana ; Vicente, Ana ; Machado, Ausenda ; Dias, Carlos Matias ; Guiomar, Carla Sofia ; Gonçalves, Cátia ; Paixão, Eleonora ; Santos, Fernanda ; Louro, Henriqueta ; Pinhal, Hermínia ; Mateus, Inês ; Coelho, Inês ; Lopes, Inês ; Castanheira, Isabel ; Antunes, Joana ; Sacadura, Joana ; Lavinha, João ; Toro, Joaquim ; Lobo, Jorge ; Nunes, Luís ; Quintas, Maria do Carmo ; Costa, Maria Helena ; Silva, Maria João ; Saraiva, Marina ; Diniz, Mário ; Martins, Marta ; Pinto, Miguel ; Fernandes, Paula Vaz ; Costa, Pedro M. ; Caeiro, Sandra ; Gueifão, Sandra ; carreira, Sara ; Silva, Susana Pereira ; Neuparth, Teresa
• Date: 2013
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/2322
• Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Nacional de Saúde
• Subject(s): Determinantes da Saúde e da Doença; Estados de Saúde e de Doença; Projeto HERA; Avaliação de Risco Ecológico e Para Saúde Humana
• Document Type: Report
• Language: English

Description

Sado River estuary is located in the west coast of Portugal. Previous environmental studies identified industrial contamination, non-point anthropogenic sources and contamination coming from the river, all promoting accumulation of polluted sediments with known impacts on the ecological system. Surrounding human populations have intense economic fishery activities. Together with agriculture, estuary fishing products are available to local residents. Food usage previously characterized through ethnographic studies suggests exposure to estuarine products, farming products, and water in daily activities, as potential routes of contamination. It is well established that long term exposure to heavy metals are associated with renal and neurological diseases, most heavy metals are classified as carcinogenic and teratogenic.