Population exposure to lead and mercury in Latin America

Lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are metals widely recognized as global pollutants, constituting public health problems. This review presents the extent of Pb and Hg human exposure in Latin America and associated health effects on different population groups. The results showed that the highest Pb levels occurred in occupational battery recycling environments. In the case of Hg, alarming levels were found in indigenous populations of the Colombian and Brazilian Amazon. The evidence gathered from this review encourages conducting collaborative research in countries with minimal or null information on the subject, and highlights the need for a strong framework to create legislation and massive educational efforts to halt, in a timely and effective manner, anthropogenic activities that expose Latin American populations.