Children living near artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM) are at risk of exposure to mercury, a neurotoxicant. It is not certain whether such exposures are harming development, as they occur in underresourced contexts entwined with other stressors, such as malnutrition and enteric infection. This study sought to investigate the association between hair‐mercury levels and visual‐motor, cognitive, and physical development among children living near ASGM in the Peruvian Amazon. Total hair‐mercury levels were measured in 164 children ages 5–12 living in Madre de Dios, Peru. Primary outcomes included Visual‐Motor Integration assessed via the Beery‐VMI Developmental Test, General Cognitive Ability assessed via the Batería‐III Woodcock‐Munoz (Spanish‐language Woodcock‐Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities), and Physical Health assessed via anthropometry/hemoglobin counts. Mean (SD) hair‐mercury level was 2.06 (2.43) μg/g. Fifty‐four children (32.9%) had hair‐mercury levels above the World Health Organization reference level of 2.0 μg/g. After controlling for sex, child age, maternal education, and family socioeconomic status, each one unit increase in log hair‐mercury level was associated with a 1.01 unit decrease in Visual‐Motor Integration (95%CI: −2.06, 0.05, p = 0.061), a 2.59 unit decrease in General Cognitive Ability (95%CI: −4.52, −0.66, p = 0.012), and a 2.43 unit decrease in Physical Health (95%CI: −5.34, 0.49, p = 0.096). After adjustment for covariates, children with hair‐mercury levels exceeding the World Health Organization reference level scored 4.68 IQ points lower in Cognitive Ability than their peers. Mercury exposures related to ASGM may be harming child development in the Peruvian Amazon. Children in this region may benefit from intervention to reach their full developmental potential.

中文翻译：

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在秘鲁，靠近手工和小规模金矿开采的儿童的头发汞含量升高与神经发育缺陷有关。

生活在手工和小规模采金业附近的儿童有接触汞的风险，汞是一种神经毒性物质。尚不确定此类接触是否危害发展，因为它们发生在资源匮乏的环境中，与其他压力源缠绕在一起，例如营养不良和肠感染。本研究旨在调查秘鲁亚马逊河ASGM附近儿童的头发汞含量与视觉运动，认知和身体发育之间的关系。对秘鲁Madre de Dios的164位5至12岁的儿童中的总汞含量进行了测量。主要结果包括通过Beery-VMI发展测试评估的视觉-电机整合，通过巴特里亚III-伍德科克-穆诺兹（西班牙语的伍德科克-约翰逊认知能力测验）评估的一般认知能力，并且通过人体测量/血红蛋白计数评估身体健康。平均（SD）头发汞含量为2.06（2.43）μg/ g。54名儿童（32.9％）的头发汞含量超过了世界卫生组织的参考水平2.0μg/ g。在控制了性别，儿童年龄，孕产妇教育和家庭社会经济状况之后，原木发汞水平每升高一单位，视觉运动整合度就会下降1.01单位（95％CI：−2.06、0.05，p  = 0.061），一般认知能力下降2.59单位（95％CI：-4.52，-0.66，p  = 0.012）和身体健康下降2.43单位（95％CI：-5.34，0.49，p  = 0.096） ）。经过协变量调整后，头发水银水平超过世界卫生组织参考水平的孩子的认知能力得分比同龄孩子低4.68智商点。与手工和小规模采金有关的汞暴露可能正在损害秘鲁亚马逊地区的儿童发育。该地区的儿童可能会从干预中受益，以充分发挥其发展潜力。