Brian Barton
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in the air, water, and soil. It is considered a neurotoxin and a global pollutant that poses risks to human health, wildlife, and ecosystems. Human activities, such as coal combustion, waste incineration, industrial processes, and mining, have led to widespread mercury pollution, with releases of mercury emissions into the air, water, and land. These emissions can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. Due to the risks associated with mercury pollution, organizations like the EPA and WHO have implemented measures and regulations to reduce mercury emissions and protect public health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mercury pollution sources | Natural sources: volcanic activity, weathering of rocks, emissions from the ocean, geothermal springs, geologic deposits |
| Anthropogenic sources: coal combustion, waste incineration, industrial uses, mining, fossil fuel combustion | |
| Mercury pollution effects | Human health: neurological and behavioural disorders, kidney failure, nervous system damage, toxic effects on nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes |
| Wildlife: health risks to fish-eating wildlife, contamination of aquatic ecosystems | |
| Ecosystems: leading cause of impairment in estuaries and lakes, reported in fish-consumption advisories | |
| Mercury pollution reduction efforts | EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) regulation, collaboration with federal agencies for fish contamination studies, development of "Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)", Gold Shop Mercury Capture System (MCS) |
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What You'll Learn
- Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in air, water and soil
- Human activity, such as mining and fossil fuel combustion, has led to widespread global mercury pollution
- Mercury exposure causes serious health issues, threatening the development of children in utero and early life
- Mercury gets into the air from various sources, eventually settling into water or onto land
- The EPA and other organisations are taking steps to reduce mercury pollution and exposure
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in air, water and soil
Mercury is a naturally occurring element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is a heavy, silvery d-block element and the only metallic element that is liquid at standard temperature and pressure. Mercury has been known since ancient times, with evidence of its use in Egyptian tombs dating back to 1500 BC. It was also used in China and Tibet, where it was believed to have medicinal properties.
Mercury is found in rock in the earth's crust, including in deposits of coal and other fossil fuels. It can be released into the environment through natural processes, such as volcanic activity, forest fires, and weathering of rocks. However, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and industrial processes, have significantly increased the amount of mercury in the environment, leading to widespread global mercury pollution. Mercury emitted into the air eventually settles into water or land, where it can be washed into water bodies.
Once mercury is released into the environment, it can be transformed by bacteria into methylmercury, a highly toxic organic compound. Methylmercury builds up in fish and shellfish, a process known as bioaccumulation. As a result, people are mainly exposed to mercury by consuming contaminated fish and shellfish. Mercury can also enter the human body through inhalation of elemental mercury vapours, although this is less common.
Exposure to mercury, even in small amounts, can have serious health consequences. It is considered by the WHO as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern. Mercury can cause toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. Developing fetuses and young children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of mercury exposure.
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Human activity, such as mining and fossil fuel combustion, has led to widespread global mercury pollution
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in air, water, and soil. It is released into the environment by volcanic activity, weathering of rocks, and human activity. Human activity, such as mining and fossil fuel combustion, has led to widespread global mercury pollution.
Mining is a significant contributor to mercury pollution. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest source of anthropogenic mercury emissions, contributing to about 37% of global mercury emissions. In ASGM, mercury is used to extract gold from ore, forming an amalgam that is then heated to evaporate the mercury and isolate the gold. This process releases large amounts of mercury into the environment, leading to water and soil contamination and subsequent accumulation in food staples such as fish. The health effects on miners and nearby communities, especially children, are dire, including neurological damage, impaired cognitive function, and various physical and mental disabilities.
ASGM activities often take place in the informal economy, operating unlicensed or without legal authorization, making effective regulation of mercury emissions challenging. With an estimated 10 to 19 million miners working primarily in Asia, Africa, and South America, the global impact of ASGM on mercury pollution is significant. The high demand for gold, the inexpensive nature of mercury, and its ease of use in extraction processes have contributed to the widespread use of mercury in artisanal gold mining.
Fossil fuel combustion, particularly coal-fired power stations and residential coal burning for heating and cooking, is another major source of mercury emissions. Mercury occurs naturally in coal and other fossil fuels, and when these fuels are burned, the mercury becomes airborne and enters the atmosphere. In the United States, power plants that burn coal to generate electricity are the largest source of mercury emissions.
Once mercury is released into the air, it eventually settles into bodies of water or onto land, where it can be washed into water bodies. Microorganisms in water can convert mercury into methylmercury, a highly toxic organic compound that accumulates in fish, shellfish, and animals that consume these aquatic organisms. Methylmercury is the form of mercury that most people encounter, primarily through the consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish.
To address the issue of mercury pollution, interventions such as the Minamata Convention on Mercury aim to control the trade, use, and emissions of mercury. Recycling mercury already in use for essential purposes can also reduce the need for further mercury mining.
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Mercury exposure causes serious health issues, threatening the development of children in utero and early life
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in the Earth's air, water, and soil. It is released into the environment through natural processes such as volcanic activity and weathering of rocks, as well as human activities like coal-fired power plants, industrial processes, and mining. Once released, mercury can be transformed by bacteria into methylmercury, which bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish. As a result, humans are exposed to mercury primarily through inhalation of elemental mercury vapors and consumption of contaminated fish and shellfish.
Mercury exposure, even in small amounts, can cause serious health issues. It is considered by the WHO as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern. The toxic effects of mercury are irreversible and can lead to neurological and behavioral disorders, including tremors, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular effects, and cognitive and motor dysfunction. Developing fetuses and young children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of mercury.
During pregnancy, exposure to mercury can cross the placenta and accumulate in the fetus, as the fetus is unable to excrete mercury. High doses of mercury exposure during pregnancy can cause brain damage to the developing fetus and have been associated with deficits in intellectual abilities and externalizing behavior problems. Studies have shown that prenatal mercury exposure can result in neurodevelopmental effects and behavior problems in children up to eight years of age.
Mercury exposure during early life can also have detrimental effects on children's health. A study in the USA estimated that 300,000-600,000 American children may experience reductions in IQ due to industrial mercury emissions. The developing brain is particularly susceptible to mercury's toxic effects, and even very low levels of prenatal mercury exposure have been linked to behavior problems in children. The magnitude of adverse outcomes depends on the timing of exposure, with early pregnancy being a critical window of vulnerability.
Overall, mercury exposure poses a significant threat to the development of children in utero and early life, underscoring the importance of preventing environmental releases and human exposure to this toxic element.
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Mercury gets into the air from various sources, eventually settling into water or onto land
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in air, water, and soil. It is released into the environment by volcanic activity, weathering of rocks, and human activity. Human activity is the main cause of mercury releases, particularly coal-fired power stations, residential coal burning for heating and cooking, industrial processes, waste incinerators, and mining. Mercury is highly toxic to humans and wildlife and can cause serious health problems even in small amounts. Exposure to mercury occurs mainly through inhalation of elemental mercury vapors, ingestion, or dermal exposure.
Mercury gets into the air from various sources, including the burning of coal, industrial processes, and the improper disposal of household products that contain mercury. Once in the air, mercury can spread easily and stay there for a long time. Eventually, mercury settles into bodies of water like lakes and streams or onto land, where it can be washed into water bodies. It is believed that much of the mercury found in rivers and streams is deposited there from the air.
Mercury is a liquid at room temperature and easily evaporates into the air, making it an invisible, odorless, toxic vapor. When mercury is released from a container or a product that breaks, it can quickly become a vapor and be inhaled. Warm and poorly ventilated indoor spaces are of particular concern for mercury vapor inhalation. Mercury can also be accidentally swallowed, such as when children break fever thermometers in their mouths.
Once mercury settles into water or onto land, it can be transformed by bacteria into methylmercury. Methylmercury then bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish, with larger predatory fish having higher levels of mercury due to consuming smaller fish. As a result, humans who consume contaminated fish and shellfish are exposed to mercury. In addition, microorganisms in water bodies can convert mercury into methylmercury, which builds up in fish and shellfish.
The release of mercury into the environment poses a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. Due to its persistence and toxicity, even small amounts of mercury can cause severe problems. Preventing mercury pollution is crucial to safeguard the air, water, and overall environmental and human health.
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The EPA and other organisations are taking steps to reduce mercury pollution and exposure
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in the air, water, and soil. It is considered one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). Exposure to mercury, even in small amounts, can cause serious health issues and is particularly harmful to the development of children in utero and early in life. It can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken several steps to reduce mercury pollution and protect public health. In 2011, the EPA issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) regulation to reduce emissions of toxic air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Power plants have installed controls and updated their operations to meet these standards, resulting in significant health benefits. Additionally, the EPA published a rule in 2011 to limit specific pollutant emissions, including mercury, from public incinerators that burn sewage, as dental amalgam waste containing mercury can end up in sewage.
The EPA has also finalized regulations for steam electric plants, which generate wastewater and thermal pollution. These regulations aim to reduce chemical and thermal pollution from various systems within these plants. Furthermore, the EPA has worked on measuring and monitoring mercury contamination in fish through collaboration with federal agencies, states, and other partners. They have conducted fish contamination studies to provide data on mercury concentrations in fish tissue.
In addition to the EPA's efforts, the WHO has also taken steps to address mercury pollution. The WHO Global Oral Health Action Plan 2023–2030 aims for 90% of countries to implement measures to phase down or eliminate the use of dental amalgam by 2030, as stipulated in the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Dental amalgam, a common filling material, contains mercury and poses health risks.
To minimize mercury exposure, the EPA advises individuals to learn about the sources of their electricity. If it comes from coal-burning power plants, individuals can explore options for switching to alternative energy sources, such as natural gas, nuclear power, wind, or solar. Additionally, the EPA recommends using mercury-free products and recycling or properly disposing of mercury-containing items. Eating fish that are low in methylmercury is also encouraged, and states issue fish advisories to guide the public on limiting or avoiding certain types of fish or shellfish.
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Frequently asked questions
Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in the air, water, and soil. It is considered a pollutant due to its toxic effects on human health and ecosystems. Human activities such as coal combustion, waste incineration, industrial processes, and mining have led to widespread global mercury pollution.
Mercury pollution comes from both natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) sources. Natural sources include volcanic activity, emissions from the ocean, geothermal springs, and weathering of rocks. The largest source of anthropogenic mercury emissions is artisanal and small-scale gold mining, followed by coal combustion. Other sources include non-ferrous metal production, cement production, and industrial uses.
Exposure to mercury, even in small amounts, can cause serious health problems. It is considered by the WHO as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern. Mercury can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. Inhalation, ingestion, or dermal exposure to mercury compounds can lead to neurological and behavioural disorders, including tremors, insomnia, memory loss, and cognitive and motor dysfunction. Developing fetuses and young children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of mercury.
