Humans have been using mercury since before the Industrial Revolution, but it is currently being emitted by coal-fired power plants and artisanal gold mining. And according to researchers at Harvard University, significant reductions in mercury emissions will be necessary because of the element’s persistence in surface reservoirs from past pollution.
Mercury particles then end up getting released into the air which end up raining down into water bodies and absorbed into the soil. Eventually these microbes in aquatic ecosystems convert mercury into methylmercury which accumulated in fish and consequently can cause health effects for those who consume these fish products.
No comments:
Post a Comment