Heavy Metals in Tumbes River-A Potential Risk for Health and Food Security in Northwest of Peru

Gerardo J.F. Cruz; John Rimaycuna; Angie Gonzaga

doi:10.1007/978-981-96-4128-4_8

Heavy Metals in Tumbes River-A Potential Risk for Health and Food Security in Northwest of Peru

Universidad Nacional de Tumbes

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

Pollution of water by heavy metals is one of the most common environmental problems in Latin America. In most of cases, mining activity is responsible for pollution of natural water streams. One example of these cases takes place in the Tumbes river (northwest Peru) where illegal small-scale gold mining, located in Ecuador (where the river has its origin), pollutes the water mainly with different toxic elements such as As and Pb, Cd, cyanide, Hg, among others. Some of those pollutants significantly affect the aquatic ecosystem and negatively affect the water quality. Thus, the inhabitants living in rural areas surrounding to the river are exposed to this polluting loading. This chapter is a holistic vision of the situation of the heavy metals pollution in the Tumbes river basin and its potential effect over food production and human health in the Norwest of Peru.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Food Toxicity and Safety
Publisher	Springer Science+Business Media
Pages	185-206
Number of pages	22
ISBN (Electronic)	9789819641284
ISBN (Print)	9789819641277
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4128-4_8
State	Published - 1 Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-aligned and Other Developing Countries (NAM S&T Centre).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 2 Zero Hunger
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Food security
Health risk
Heavy metals
Illegal mining
River sediments

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-96-4128-4_8

Cite this

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abstract = "Pollution of water by heavy metals is one of the most common environmental problems in Latin America. In most of cases, mining activity is responsible for pollution of natural water streams. One example of these cases takes place in the Tumbes river (northwest Peru) where illegal small-scale gold mining, located in Ecuador (where the river has its origin), pollutes the water mainly with different toxic elements such as As and Pb, Cd, cyanide, Hg, among others. Some of those pollutants significantly affect the aquatic ecosystem and negatively affect the water quality. Thus, the inhabitants living in rural areas surrounding to the river are exposed to this polluting loading. This chapter is a holistic vision of the situation of the heavy metals pollution in the Tumbes river basin and its potential effect over food production and human health in the Norwest of Peru.",

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AB - Pollution of water by heavy metals is one of the most common environmental problems in Latin America. In most of cases, mining activity is responsible for pollution of natural water streams. One example of these cases takes place in the Tumbes river (northwest Peru) where illegal small-scale gold mining, located in Ecuador (where the river has its origin), pollutes the water mainly with different toxic elements such as As and Pb, Cd, cyanide, Hg, among others. Some of those pollutants significantly affect the aquatic ecosystem and negatively affect the water quality. Thus, the inhabitants living in rural areas surrounding to the river are exposed to this polluting loading. This chapter is a holistic vision of the situation of the heavy metals pollution in the Tumbes river basin and its potential effect over food production and human health in the Norwest of Peru.

KW - Food security

KW - Health risk

KW - Heavy metals

KW - Illegal mining

KW - River sediments

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DO - 10.1007/978-981-96-4128-4_8

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ER -

Heavy Metals in Tumbes River-A Potential Risk for Health and Food Security in Northwest of Peru

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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