Evaluation of the impacts and risks to human health caused by exposure to tailings from Fundão dam failure in Mariana/MG

• Grant number: 23/01493-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Tiago Osório Ferreira
• Grantee: Tiago Osório Ferreira
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/12966-6 - Mariana's Disaster: diagnosis of contamination, remediation strategies, and reuse of iron ore tailings, AP.R
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/12124-8 - Evaluation of the impacts and risks to human health caused by exposure to tailings from Fundão dam failure in Mariana/MG, BP.JD

Abstract

The environmental disaster that occurred after the collapse of the Samarco mining company's tailings dam in Mariana - MG in 2015 had a major impact on the environment and people's lives, exposing them to potentially harmful elements (PHEs). These elements can generate diseases in the medium and long term, and for this reason, it is necessary to ensure health surveillance in this population. Thus, the project proposes to test the hypothesis that people's lives have been and continue to be affected by exposure to tailings from the dam failure, especially particulate matter (PM) containing iron oxides mineralogical attributes and geochemical attributes, increasing the hospitalization and the incidence of associated diseases, such as mental health problems and health problems related to this exposure. The aim is to carry out a retrospective cohort study to assess the health of these people. In addition, the current risk of illness in the affected population of the municipality of Linhares (Regencia) - ES, based on the assessment of airborne PM in these areas, will also be performed. Besides the publication of scientific articles based on the results, it will be possible to formulate informative booklets and hold seminars in the region to influence the population and managers about the importance of health care and the preservation of life. Supporting the direction of public policies for the current health needs of this population and the dissemination of the results studied to other areas, such as agricultural and environmental sciences, demonstrating in practice the concept of One Health. (AU)