Medical geology studies in South America.

B.R. FIGUEIREDO; M.I. LITTER; C. SILVA; N. MAÑAY; S. LONDONO; A.M. ROJAS; C. GARZÓN; T. TOSIANI; G.M. DI GIULIO; E.M. DE CAPITANI; J.A. DOS ANJOS; R.S. ANGÉLICA; M.C. MORITA; M.M. PAOLIELO; F.G. CUNHA; A.M. SAKUMA; O.A. LICHT

Medical Geology: A Regional Synthesis.

Springer

Lugar: Dordrecht, The Netherlands; Año: 2010; p. 79 - 106

“Earth and Health” or Medical Geology has been promoted worldwide as one of the fundamental themes of the International Year of Planet Earth (2007-2009). This was in response to relevant achievements noted in this new field of applied science from the time of the IGCP 534 project which led to foundation of the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) in 2004. In association with international movements, several academic, professional and student groups in South America began to study Medical Geology in the very short period that started with scientific meetings held in Chile, Brazil and Uruguay in 2002 and 2003. In the present article, an attempt is made to describe South American scientists’ relevant contributions to various subjects such as arsenic, lead, mercury and selenium as well as fluorine and environmental problems affecting different parts of the continent. Some societal issues arising from medical geology studies are also highlighted from the point of view of the international risk communication and risk governance debate and the pioneering ethnographic descriptions of geophagy in the Andean and Amazonian countries. Finally, some ongoing Medical Geology projects in South America are identified as inspiring initiatives that may encourage future educational and research activities in this science field.