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Brazil Dam Disaster: Bananas Pose Health Risks to Kids
18 Feb
Summary
- Bananas grown near Brazil's Doce River may risk children's health.
- Mining waste from a 2015 dam collapse contaminates nearby soil.
- Lead and cadmium in bananas exceed safe limits for young children.
More than a decade after a major mining disaster in Brazil, scientists continue to uncover its health impacts. A recent study indicates that bananas grown in soil contaminated by the 2015 Doce River dam collapse may present health risks, particularly for children under six.
Researchers from Brazilian and Spanish universities analyzed bananas, cassava, and cocoa from soil affected by the Fundão tailings dam collapse. The study, published in Environmental Geochemistry and Health, focused on metals like lead and cadmium commonly found in mining waste. Bananas absorbed higher levels of these metals, leading to concerns about exceeding safe consumption limits for children due to their smaller body size and higher intake relative to weight.
While risks for most adults were low, the study highlighted that lead and cadmium in bananas could pose a risk to young children. Cassava roots largely retained metals, while cocoa plants showed higher concentrations in stems and leaves. In cocoa pulp, copper and lead exceeded UN Food and Agriculture Organization limits. Long-term lead exposure can impair children's brain development, and Cherubin noted potential carcinogenic risks and nervous system effects from such disaster-related contamination.
