Abstract

This data article includes information on the impact of gold mining along five zones of a tropical river in the Pacific region of Colombia. The concentrations of total mercury (THg), total length, mertimercury (MeHg) were determined in 16 species of fish. With this information, it was shown as the concentrations of mercury in fish are influenced by the distribution in the contamination along the Atrato River Basin [1]. Further, THg and MeHg concentrations were related with the trophic level to show biomagnification, and with total length to show bioaccumulation, which is important to establish the potential risk to the environment and also to the health of the inhabitants living along the basin from the consumption of fish.

Highlights

  • This data article includes information on the impact of gold mining along five zones of a tropical river in the Pacific region of Colombia

  • The concentrations of total mercury (THg), total length, mertimercury (MeHg) were determined in 16 species of fish. It was shown as the concentrations of mercury in fish are influenced by the distribution in the contamination along the Atrato River Basin [1]

  • THg and MeHg concentrations were related with the trophic level to show biomagnification, and with total length to show bioaccumulation, which is important to establish the potential risk to the environment and to the health of the inhabitants living along the basin from the consumption of fish

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Summary

Data accessibility Related research article

Environmental Science Pollution, Environmental Chemistry Table Wet chemistry for digestions of samples and instrumental analysis for THg and MeHg measurements using a direct Mercury Analyzer, model DMA-80 TRICELL, Milestone Inc., Italy. Raw MeHg percentage, total length, THg and MeHg concentrations, for 842 samples of 16 fish species (3 piscivorous, 4 carnivores, 4 omnivores with tendency to carnivore, 1 omnivore with preference for fish and plant material, 1 omnivore and 3 detritivores) Samples fish were collected in zones with the high mining activity [upstream: Rio Quito (RQ), Medio Atrato (MA), Murindó & Vigía del Fuerte (MVF)] to those with the least activity [downstream: Riosucio & Carmen del Darién (RS), and Ciénaga de Unguía & Tumaradó (CUT)] on the Atrato River. The data set includes valuable MeHg concentrations in fish samples (n = 520) collected in the Atrato River Basin, a tropical ecosystem highly impacted by goldmining. The data set can be used as a reference to identify the most polluted areas throughout the basin, establish possible environmental effects and the risk to human health from fish consumption

Data Description
Sampling collection
Analysis of mercury species
Findings
Ethics Statement

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