Percepciones, prácticas y riesgo potencial de exposición a metales pesados en mujeres afrocolombianas vinculadas a la actividad pesquera en El Carmen del Darién, Chocó, Colombia

Vanesa  Ramírez Bello; Natalia Bonilla Lizarazo; Katherine Ariza; Nelson Enrique  Arenas; José Camilo Torres; Gina  Polo Infante

doi:10.22490/24629448.11773

Vol. 24 No. 47 (2026): 2

Published 2026-06-15

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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Perceptions, practices, and potential risk of exposure to heavy metals among Afrocolombian women engaged in fishing in El Carmen del Darién, Chocó, Colombia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/24629448.11773

Vanesa Ramírez Bello Pontifical Xavierian University

Natalia Bonilla Lizarazo Pontifical Xavierian University

Katherine Ariza Pontifical Xavierian University

Nelson Enrique Arenas University of Cartagena

José Camilo Torres National Pedagogic University

Gina Polo Infante Pontifical Xavierian University

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Abstract
References

Introduction. Environmental pollution is a major public health problem, especially in mining areas. In Chocó, mining activities and heavy metal contamination have affected aquatic ecosystems and the health of local communities. Despite this situation, the risk perception of women fishers regarding this issue remains unknown. Objective. To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of women fishers from El Carmen del Darién (Chocó, Colombia) regarding environmental pollution by heavy metals, their risk perception, and the implications for community health. Methods. A survey was designed and applied to 55 Afro-Colombian women engaged in fishing in El Carmen del Darién (Chocó, Colombia), from the communities of Domingodó, Montaño, and La Grande, to identify environmental and social factors associated with heavy metal poisoning. Results. A total of 69.1 % of respondents use river water for human consumption, and 40 % do not treat it before drinking. All participants (100 %) consume fish weekly, up to three times a day, with bocachico being the most consumed species (98.2 %). About 90.9 % have heard about pollution by heavy metals, and 70.9 % believe that local fish are contaminated. Although risk perception is high, practices that increase exposure persist. Conclusions. It is necessary to strengthen environmental education, and the assessment of epidemiological surveillance systems for heavy metal monitoring to measure the impact in public health.

keywords: environmental surveillance, afroamericans, heavy metals, risk, social perception, environment and public health, environmental surveillance, afroamericans, heavy metals, risk, social perception, environment, public health

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Ramírez Bello, V., Bonilla Lizarazo, N., Ariza, K., Arenas, N. E., Torres, J. C., & Polo Infante, G. (2026). Perceptions, practices, and potential risk of exposure to heavy metals among Afrocolombian women engaged in fishing in El Carmen del Darién, Chocó, Colombia. NOVA Biomedical Sciences Journal, 24(47), 87-108. https://doi.org/10.22490/24629448.11773

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Perceptions, practices, and potential risk of exposure to heavy metals among Afrocolombian women engaged in fishing in El Carmen del Darién, Chocó, Colombia

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