Mercury in the environment

Fig. 15-8 The mercury cycle, demonstrating the bioaccumulation of mercury in fish and shellfish. Reprinted with permission from An Assessment of Mercury in the Environment" (1978) by the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

NAS (1978). An Assessment of Mercury in the Environment," National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. 

Apart from the release of human-made organomercurial compounds, methyl mercury can also be generated from inorganic mercury in the environment as indicated in the following equation ... 

Meyer, M.W. (1998). Ecological risk of mercury in the environment the inadequacy of the best available science (Editorial). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 17, 138-138. 

USEPA] US Enviromnental Protection Agency. 1997. Mercury Study Report to Congress. Fate and Transport of Mercury in the Environment, Vol. 111. EPA-452/R-97-005, US Enviromnental Protection Agency, US Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 

Environmental Council of States and Clean Air Network. 2001. Mercury in the environment states respond to the challenge. Washington, DC Environmental Council of States. 70 p. http //WWW. sso.org/eco s/proj ects/Mercury/ECOS2%20State%20Hg%20Activities.pdf. 

In choosing wildlife indicators of mercury contamination, emphasis should go to 3 key considerations 1) efficacy in quantifying the probability that mercury in the environment will produce an adverse effect in exposed organisms or populations 2) the degree of harm that may be anticipated 3) and the integration of these data to characterize environmental health. 

Wildlife indicators of mercury exposure and trends are important elements of a comprehensive approach to assess mercury in the environment and the monitoring of trends that may assist regulators and the regulated community in long-term evalnation of the need and usefulness of mercury somce controls. It is important to understand, however, that bioindicator data alone are insufficient to answer snch critical qnestions as identification of mercniy sonrces, or the relative importance of local, regional, and global inputs of mercury somces to atmospheric deposition and errvirorrmerrtal loading in specific areas. 

Nriagu JO. The Biogeochemistry of Mercury in the Environment. New York Elsevier/North-Holland Biomed Press, 1991. 

USGS. Mercury in the Environment, Fact Sheet 146-00. http //minerals.usgs.gov/mercury, 2000. 

Robinson S, Scott WB (1974) A selected bibliography on mercury in the environment, with subject listing. Life science miscellaneous publication. Royal Ontario Museum, p 54... 

Data from National Academy of Sciences (NAS). 1978. An Assessment of Mercury in the Environment. Natl. Acad. Sci., Washington, D.C. 185 pp. Clarkson, T.W., R. Hamada, and L. Amin-Zaki. 1984. Mercury. Pages 285-309 in J.O. Nriagu (ed.). Changing Metal Cycles and Human Health. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 

Figure 5.1 Major transformations of mercury in the environment. (Modified from Beijer, K. and A. Jernelov.

Armstrong, F.A.J. 1979. Effects of mercury compounds on fish. Pages 657-670 in J. 0. Nriagu (ed.). The Biogeochemistry of Mercury in the Environment. Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, NY. 

Wilken, R.-D. (1999) Mercury in the Environment Global Scenario as a Frame for Local Scenarios. Summary presented as OSPAR Document WOCAI 99/5/12 (Madrid, 1999). Euro Chlor, Brussels and ESWE-Institut, Wiesbaden. 

O Research the environmental impact of mercury pollution. Describe the main sources of mercury in the environment, the effects of mercury on human health, and at least one incident in which humans were harmed by mercury pollution. 

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