Projets de recherche
Porteur
Hugo Vieira
Session
Co-porteur(s)
Maria Bordalo e Sá, Andreia Rodrigues, Diana Campos, Sónia Coelho, Sizenando Abreu and Fernando Morgado
Titre
Can I eat this fish? - Dietary recommendations to reduce the mercury risk exposure
Résumé
Estarreja region, located nearby Ria de Aveiro, is widely known for its mercury (Hg) historical contamination (e.g. Largo do Laranjo) due to previous activities of a chlor-alkali industry. At the same time, a variety of fishing activities are usual in this lagoon.
Due to its high nutritional value, fish and seafood consumption have been linked to the prevention of some human diseases, especially regarding cardiac and circulatory disorders. Unfortunately, fish and seafood are also considered as the major pathway of Hg exposure in humans. More than 90% of the Hg present in fish tissue is found mainly as methylmercury (MeHg), the most toxic form. Due to the potential adverse human health effects, international agencies have established Reference Doses (RfD) as recommendations concerning Hg intake.
Despite the recognized importance of fish/seafood to the human Hg intake, studies that assess this exposure risk in Portugal have been focusing on only some species and mostly restricted to Academia. In addition, scientific language is often not clear for the general public. So, in order to contribute to a knowledge transfer from Academia to Society, this proposal aims to evaluate fish consumption habits and potential Hg exposure of Estarreja population and to develop and share tools with simple and precise language that will contribute to an informed decisions on the consumption of fish/seafood involving not only decision makers and but also the target population.
Due to its high nutritional value, fish and seafood consumption have been linked to the prevention of some human diseases, especially regarding cardiac and circulatory disorders. Unfortunately, fish and seafood are also considered as the major pathway of Hg exposure in humans. More than 90% of the Hg present in fish tissue is found mainly as methylmercury (MeHg), the most toxic form. Due to the potential adverse human health effects, international agencies have established Reference Doses (RfD) as recommendations concerning Hg intake.
Despite the recognized importance of fish/seafood to the human Hg intake, studies that assess this exposure risk in Portugal have been focusing on only some species and mostly restricted to Academia. In addition, scientific language is often not clear for the general public. So, in order to contribute to a knowledge transfer from Academia to Society, this proposal aims to evaluate fish consumption habits and potential Hg exposure of Estarreja population and to develop and share tools with simple and precise language that will contribute to an informed decisions on the consumption of fish/seafood involving not only decision makers and but also the target population.
Type
Projet OHMs
OHM(s) concerné(s)
- OHM Estarreja
Disciplines
Biologie, Chimie, Santé publique
Porteur
Hugo
Vieira
I, Hugo Coelho Vieira, completed my PhD in Biology and Ecology of Global Change, specialization in Marine Biology and Ecology in 2021 (financially supported by a FCT grant (PD/BD/127808/2016) and a MSc in Marine Biology in 2015 and a degree in Biology in 2013 (including an internship at EPOMEX, Campeche, Mexico) all conferred by the University of Aveiro. Currently, I work as a researcher in the INSIDER project (financed by FCT). Within this project I am Co-supervisor of 2 BSc students and 2 MSc students. My main research interests are: Marine Biology, Ecology and Ecotoxicology, with special focus on the occurrence and distribution of mercury contamination in the marine environment and role of climate change in mercury bioaccumulation along marine food chains. I currently participate in 2 financed research projects (1 as principal investigator and 1 as a team member). I have published 14 ISI papers (10 as first author) and have 16 participations in scientific congresses (plus 3 accepted to be presented in 2021). In 2015, I organized a scientific congress (IV Encontro Nacional de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas - IV ENPGCB). Lately, I have been actively involved in science outreach actions for several publics (hands-on activities in schools and at the laboratory, organization of scientific activities at UA e.g. Xperimenta, Summer Academy). Since 2018, I am an accredited Researcher by the Portuguese Government Veterinary Agency (DGAV - Direção Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária), as a competent researcher for the practice of animal experimentation (FELASA Category B).
Participants
Fernando
Morgado
Fernando Morgado, PhD in Biology and Full Professor at University of Aveiro, Portugal. Senior researcher at Centre for Environment and Marine Sciences at University of Aveiro, Portugal. Was member of several evaluation panels from research projects and grants (International and National) His main research areas include Plankton Marine Biology and Ecology; Aquatic Ecotoxicology; Tropical ecology and ecotoxicology; Environmental Education, Education for Sustainable Development, Communication and Dissemination of Science. Has written, co-written, edited or co-edited about 150 publications, including books book chapters Special Issues of Scientific Journals and papers in refereed journals (ISI and peer reviewed). Supervisor of 3 post doc researchers, 11 PhD Students, 40 MSc. Member of more than 100 exam panels for viva voice examinations (for PhD and MSc) and career assessment. Member of the organizing and scientific committees of more than 100 international and national congresses...
