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El Niño in the Central Amazon - Manaus | Brazil (August 2026)
Original title: El Niño na Amazônia Central - Manaus | Brasil (Agosto 2026)
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During the extreme 2026 El Niño, Manaus faced brutal heat (up to 42°C) and almost no rain, which let smoke, industrial fumes, and burning trash smoke trap in the air overnight instead of washing away. This toxic mix included tiny particles and microplastics that can settle into rivers and food chains, raising real risks of heart and lung problems for people already vulnerable, like children and the elderly.
Português: Elaborado pelos pesquisadores Newton Silva de Lima e Alan dos Santos Ferreira, o relatório analisa o severo El Niño de 2026 na Amazônia Central, destacando o forte estresse hídrico em Manaus — com sensação térmica de 42 °C e precipitação mensal caindo para 3,6 mm em agosto — em consonância com a tendência contínua de aquecimento regional de +0,25 °C por década (1940–2026). A ausência de lavagem atmosférica associada a inversões térmicas noturnas aprisiona poluentes como PM2.5, SO2, NOx e CO, enquanto simulações HYSPLIT demonstram a dispersão de plumas de queimadas e emissões da UTE-Mauá sobre áreas urbanas. Adicionalmente, a combustão em lixões na calha do Rio Madeira libera Microplásticos Atmosféricos (AMPs) e Poluentes Orgânicos Persistentes (POPs) que se depositam nos ecossistemas aquáticos provocando bioacumulação, além de agravar o risco aviário para a aviação regional e desencadear crises de saúde cardiorrespiratória em grupos vulneráveis. English: Authored by researchers Newton Silva de Lima and Alan dos Santos Ferreira, the report analyzes the severe 2026 El Niño in the Central Amazon, highlighting extreme water stress in Manaus — where thermal sensation reached 42 °C and monthly rainfall dropped to 3.6 mm in August — consistent with a long-term regional warming trend of +0.25 °C per decade (1940–2026). The lack of wet deposition combined with nocturnal thermal inversions traps harmful pollutants like PM2.5, SO2, NOx, and CO, while HYSPLIT simulations demonstrate the transport of smoke plumes from wildfires and UTE-Mauá industrial emissions directly over residential areas. Furthermore, open burning at dumpsites along the Madeira River basin releases Atmospheric Microplastics (AMPs) and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that deposit into aquatic systems causing bioaccumulation, alongside escalating bird-strike risks for regional aviation and triggering cardiorespiratory health crises among vulnerable populations. Palavras-chave / Keywords Em Português: El Niño 2026 Amazônia Central Manaus Estresse Hídrico Qualidade do Ar Modelo HYSPLIT Material Particulado (PM2.5) Microplásticos Atmosféricos (AMPs) Queimadas e Lixões Mudanças Climáticas In English: El Niño 2026 Central Amazon Manaus Water Stress Air Quality HYSPLIT Model Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
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El Niño in the Central Amazon - Manaus | Brazil (August 2026)
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During the extreme 2026 El Niño in Manaus, Brazil, brutal heat and almost no rain trapped wildfire smoke and industrial pollution close to the ground, worsening breathing and heart problems for vulnerable people. Burning trash also released microplastics and toxic chemicals that settled into rivers and built up in the food chain, adding another hidden health risk beyond the air itself.
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Researchers found that the air in two Brazilian cities contained tiny plastic particles, but the drier, warmer city had up to 30 times more airborne microplastics than the rainier city—suggesting rain helps wash these particles out of the air while heat and dry conditions let them build up and get stirred back into the atmosphere. This matters because it means the amount of plastic you're breathing in may depend heavily on local weather patterns, and as climate patterns shift, some places could see rising exposure to these particles, which have been linked to potential health concerns when inhaled.
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Tiny plastic bits called microplastics are showing up throughout the Amazon, from rivers all the way to mangrove forests, even in this remote wilderness far from big cities and factories. This matters because these plastics can enter the food chain through fish and other wildlife that people eat, and scientists are still working to understand how consuming microplastics affects our health over time.
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This review synthesizes recent evidence on mercury contamination in the Amazon basin and its effects on the health of Indigenous and traditional communities. Researchers found consistent associations between mercury exposure and neurocognitive impairments, cardiovascular risk, and metabolic problems. The study also highlights emerging co-exposures to microplastics and agrochemicals in the region, raising concerns about synergistic toxic effects that remain poorly understood.
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Microplastics were detected in river sediments throughout the Amazon Basin near Manaus, Brazil, at concentrations up to 8,178 particles per kilogram of dry sediment, with the highest levels near shallow, slow-moving sections of the Negro River adjacent to the city. This is the first documentation of widespread microplastic contamination in the Amazon river system.
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