Global Warming Increases The Level Of Toxic Mercury

Climate change affects all of us, even if we don’t notice it. A new study shows that global warming could increase the level of toxic mercury in seas and oceans. In the last months, a lot of people have suffered mercury poisoning and this is going to get even worse.

• The level of toxic mercury is increasing
• Mercury is released into the water and air by human activities
• Mercury is toxic to both humans and animals
• Mercury poisoning affects the immune, nervous and digestive systems

The researchers mentioned that the level of toxic mercury is increasing day by day. This substance is very dangerous for people, especially if they ingest a lot of it. This is why people need to be careful what type of fish they eat because some types can contain more mercury than others.

Toxic mercury affects both animals and humans. Mercury affects the digestive, immune, and nervous system of people. It can also affect its eyes, kidneys, and lungs. If children ingest mercury they can suffer from delayed cognitive development.

The problem is that this substance is released into the air, water, and earth by human activity. Some of the activities that increase the levels of mercury include residential heating systems, gold and mercury mining, and coal burning.

Although mercury is not toxic, when it enters the environment it is transformed into toxic mercury named methylmercury. This substance is the one that affects fish and other marine animals. When we eat those marine animals we also get intoxicated with this substance.

The levels of mercury are increasing more and more every day and global warming is not making it easier to decrease these levels. The researchers who discovered that these levels are increasing believe that this is not going to stop unless people take action.

People need to understand that their actions influence the nature and environment. When they affect nature it fights back. This is a circle that never stops: people release mercury into the water, mercury affects fishes and then they are eaten by people who are intoxicated by mercury.

“The study has revealed a phenomenon that has not been described before. The results are critical in the prediction of how global climate changes can affect the exposure of methylmercury to ecosystems, and humans,” Erik Björn

What is your opinion about this study?

Image source: Wikipedia