Jamaica: Heavy Metals in the Natural and Anthropic Environments

Abstract

Soil is the basis of terrestrial life and contains a large number of biologically active elements. While some are essential to life, others like heavy metals are hazardous even at low concentrations. Many Jamaican soils contain relatively high concentrations of heavy metals associated to a large extent with terra rossa and bauxitic soils. Among these elements are arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Arsenic is not considered to be environmentally problematic under the present conditions of land use. While the concentrations of cadmium in some soils are extraordinarily high there is no evidence, as noted in epidemiological studies, that there are medical problems caused by cadmium ingestion. However, the high levels require continued surveillance.Toxicity from naturally occurring lead is unlikely to be of concern except in the Hope River Valley and Frasers Content, where very high concentrations occur. These concentrations are also reflected in the blood lead levels of blood donors and school children; the levels in school children were high enough so that mitigation was necessary to prevent developmental and pathological problems. Mercury was mainly associated with bauxitic soils. Despite the high concentrations of heavy metals in soils in Jamaica, the corresponding levels in the freshwater environment are relatively low.