Total and methylmercury levels of a coastal human population and of fish from the Brazilian northeast.

A descriptive exposure survey was conduced at Santa Cruz Channel, Pernambuco, Brazil, to assess the possible risk of mercury contamination to which a coastal human population could be exposed through fish consumption. The area was formerly known to be contaminated due to a chlor-alkali plant installed along one of the tributaries of the channel. The values for total and methylmercury were measured in human hair from inhabitants of Itapissuma (1.9 +/- 1.6 ng THg/mg and 1.2 +/- 1.0 ng MHg/mg--mean values), a coastal fishing village, and fish (Mugil sp.) catch in the area (26.9 +/- 26.1 ng THg/g and 19.6 +/- 16.0 ng MHg/g--mean values). Both human hair and fish muscle presented relatively low values for total and methylmercury concentrations. These were found to be well within the average when compared to other Brazilian coastal environments.