Mining and health of indigenous people Flashcards
when did Indigenous people arrive in lake superior, Ontario?
10,000 years ago
what metal did Indigenous people dig for
Copper
why did Indigenous people hunt for copper
- pounding, heating and crafting
- jewellery, tools, weapons
Ancient workshop name and year used
Cahokia, 800 AD to 1400 AD
What other artifacts have been found here
gold, silver, arsenic bronze
what happens when copper bearing rocks are exposed to surface
conifer trees can concentrate (up to 700ppm) in tissues above soil
What does wild rice do
Concentrates copper in its seeds (5.3) , stems (1.4) and roots(4.8)
What marine animals have high levels of copper
mollusks, fish and worms from lake superior
overload affects fish gill function
what is lethal concentration of copper for fish
1mg/L
2 food staples of Indigenous people
Fish and wild rice
What is copper
micronutrient and a toxin
what is the adult human concentration of copper?
1.4-2.1 mg Cu/kg
effects of excessive copper
liver cirrhosis
kidney ncerosis
gastrointestinal lesions
low blood pressure
fetal mortality
Can excess copper be secrets through body? HOW?
YES
1. expulsion via cellular copper pumping
2. binding copper to sulfhydryl groups
- when cells bind to copper for step 2, they unfulfill their own intended function. Leads to mood swings, irritation, depression. Misdiagnosed as psychiatric disorders.
How can copper toxicity occur
acidic foods cooked on uncoated copper cookware
excess copper in water or food sources
