Why is mercury harmful to the environment?
2 min read
Asked by: Sara Taylor
What you should know: Mercury is a persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic pollutant. When released into the environment, it accumulates in water laid sediments where it converts into toxic
What are the negative effects of mercury?
All Mercury is Toxic
Depending on the type and amount, exposures to mercury can damage the nervous system, kidneys, liver and immune system. Breathing mercury vapors can harm the nervous system, lungs and kidneys. Mercury vapors can pass easily from the lungs to the bloodstream.
Why mercury is toxic in nature?
The inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
Why is mercury harmful to humans and wildlife?
Mercury, which can adversely alter the neurological and reproductive systems of humans and wildlife, has long been known to contaminate fresh-water lakes, fish and fish-eating birds, including loons and eagles.
How does mercury pollute the air?
Mercury emitted into the air can travel thousands of miles in the atmosphere before it is eventually deposited back to the earth in rainfall or in dry gaseous form.
Types of Sources.
| Source | Amount (kg) |
|---|---|
| Waste from Products | 146,938 |
| Vinyl Chlorine Monomer | 58,268 |
| Biomass Burning | 51,860 |
| Ferrous Metals Production | 39,903 |
How does mercury pollution affect plants?
Mercury has toxic effects on plants, even at low concentrations, and leads to growth retardation [168] and many other adverse effects [105]. Hg in plants is strongly bound to sulfhydryl/thiol groups of proteins and forms SHgS.
How does mercury get into the environment?
Both volcanoes and forest fires send mercury into the atmosphere. Human activities, however, are responsible for much of the mercury that is released into the environment. The burning of coal, oil and wood as fuel can cause mercury to become airborne, as can burning wastes that contain mercury.
How does mercury affect the ocean?
Mercury can get bio-accumulated in marine food chains in the form of highly toxic methyl mercury which can cause health risks to human seafood consumers. According to statistics, about 66% of the global fish consumption comes from ocean.
What are the sources of mercury contamination in our environment?
Mercury is emitted by natural sources, such as volcanoes, geothermal springs, geologic deposits, and the ocean. Human-related sources primarily include coal combustion, waste incineration, industrial uses, and mining.
