Mercury: The Element

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be found throughout the environment. It is a very potent pollutant and very toxic.The amount of mercury found in parts of the environment like lakes, stream and the atmosphere have been increased due to human activites such as burning coal and using mercury to manufacture certain products. By eating organisms that live in places where microbes have converted some of the natural and human mercury to a more toxic form called methylmercury, humans and animals get most of their exposure and risk. 

Still not fully understood is the bioconcentration of mercury. Elemental mercury is transported around the globe in gas form. In some areas its origination has been shown to come from industrial soucres like power plants. Two major forms of mercury besides elemental mercury are ionic mercury and organic mercury or methylmercury. Methylmercury is bioconcentrated due to the retention throughout the food chain among several organisms. It is the accumulation of mercury in fish that is of most concern because in some regions the amount of mercury found in fish is near or exceeds the limit for safe human consumption. The amount of mercury for safe human consumption is 0.5-1.0ppm.

More information about mercury, its toxicity, and effects can be seen via the link below.

Mercury brochure:

http://www.mercer.edu/enp/Hg_Baker.pdf



References:

United States Environmental Protection Agency. How Does Mercury Work in the Environment? Retrieved from http://publicaccess.supportportal.com/link/portal/23002/23012/Article/17229/How-does-mercury-occur-in-the-environment July 10, 2011.

Morel, F.M; Kraepiel, A.M.L., and Amyot, M. (1998). The Chemical Cycle and Bioaccumulation of Mercury. Annual Review of Ecological Systems, 29, 543-566.