Mercury is a silvery white metal that has been recognized as a pollutant for more than a hundred years now. It is liquid form in room temperature and evaporates very easily. Mercury is found in limestone and coal as well as in cinnabar deposits. According to a United Nations study mercury emissions have been rising particularly in developing nations. It has been determined that almost half of the annual mercury emissions in the world come from the efforts of Southeast Asian nations at industrialization.
Mercury has adverse effects on human organs particularly the brain and the nervous system. The damage from mercury poisoning could be permanent not just to the nervous system but to the pulmonary, renal, digestive, and immune systems as well. Younger persons are also more vulnerable to mercury poisoning compared to adults. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) mercury also poses a serious threat to the unborn child and to early child development.
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