These days most mercury emissions are the result of coal fired power plants and artisanal gold mining. It first enters the atmosphere, rains down into bodies of water, gets absorbed by soil and is carried into the sea by rivers. Once it enters the oceans, microscopic organisms convert mercury into methylmercury, which accumulates in fish. Humans who consume a lot of fish are at risk for mercury poisoning; even more so are the few Japanese who eat whale and dolphin meat.
Symptoms of mercury poisoning include neurological problems such as peripheral vision impairment, muscle weakness and loss of coordination, speech and hearing impairment and itching or pins and needles in the extremities and mouth. Fetuses are particularly sensitive to methylmercury poisoning.
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