Ecuador: A Megadiverse Country and its Fate of Heavy Metals Contamination

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Ecuador is renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity, offering a rich mosaic of landscapes and ecosystems. Despite its small size, the country boasts the Amazon rainforest, the Andean highlands, coastal lowlands, and the unique Galápagos Islands. Each region supports a wide variety of flora and fauna, making Ecuador one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth. Cultural diversity is also remarkable, indigenous groups in all areas, have developed a profound relationship with these ecosystems, shaping their livelihoods and cultural traditions around the natural environment. This harmony between nature and culture makes Ecuador a unique nation, both ecologically and culturally.

Sadly, the contamination of food and marine life by heavy metals in Ecuador is an issue of growing concern, primarily linked to urban development, mining, industrial, and agricultural activities. Water bodies and rivers serve as conduits for these contaminants toward marine ecosystems, affecting key species for food security, such as fish and mollusks. The bioaccumulation of metals like mercury, cadmium, and lead in the food chain poses serious risks to human and ecosystems health.

Dr. Hugo Navarrete has been a scholar, professor, and Director of Research, among other roles, at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE). His efforts have focused on connecting civil society in general with academic activity, as well as disseminating the results of scientific research through the publication of informational material that is accessible for the general public. Furthermore, he has worked to strengthen ties with ministries and other governmental agencies to establish a fluent dialogue and mutual trust, which has allowed science to influence policy and public opinion. Navarrete’s research focuses on environmental contamination with heavy metals, biodiversity, and food safety. He is currently a researcher at PUCE and the Director of the Center for Applied Chemistry Studies (CESAQ-PUCE) at PUCE. With around 70 publications that have garnered more than 4000 academic citations, he is among the 100 most cited authors in Ecuador.