In recent years, increases in urbanization and industrialization have led to an increase in contaminated areas, which directly affect traditional, indigenous, and local communities who use natural resources for food and medicine. We present a discussion about the use of food resources from areas contaminated with heavy metals and focus on two case studies in southern Brazil. In the first case study, we interviewed 194 residents about the use of plants as food resources or medicine in areas adjacent to abandoned mines, and thus potentially contaminated with heavy metals. In the second case study, we interviewed 39 fishers about the consumption of fish resources from areas potentially contaminated by industrial activities. We also asked about their perceptions regarding contamination, changes in the landscape, and health problems that could be related to contamination. Although people are aware of contamination, consuming local plants and sea food has not stopped because some of these practices are directly linked to their cultural identity; additionally, there might be a lack of public recognition toward contamination. The combination of ethnoecological and ecotoxicological studies is necessary to assess environmental problems caused by heavy metals, as well as concerns about food security and the health of local communities.

中文翻译：

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探索民族生物学和生态毒理学之间的接口：一种新方法

近年来，城市化和工业化的加剧导致受污染地区的增加，这直接影响到将自然资源用于粮食和药品的传统，土著和地方社区。我们对来自重金属污染地区的食物资源的使用进行了讨论，并着重于巴西南部的两个案例研究。在第一个案例研究中，我们采访了194名居民，这些植物是关于在废弃矿山附近地区将植物用作食物资源或药品的，因此有可能被重金属污染。在第二个案例研究中，我们就可能受到工业活动污染的地区的鱼类资源消耗情况采访了39位渔民。我们还询问了他们对污染，景观变化，以及可能与污染有关的健康问题。尽管人们意识到污染的存在，但由于其中一些做法与其文化特性直接相关，因此没有停止消费当地的植物和海鲜。此外，公众对污染的认识可能缺乏。民族生态学和生态毒理学研究的结合对于评估由重金属引起的环境问题以及对粮食安全和当地社区健康的担忧是必要的。