Ocean Sentry
In a new research, scientists have revealed how mercury pollution is affecting Arctic animals like the polar bear.
The research, led by biogeochemists Travis Horton of the University of Canterbury and Joel Blum of the University of Michigan, lays the groundwork for assessing current and future effects of mercury deposition and climate change on polar bears.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element, but some 150 tons of it enter the environment each year from human-generated sources such as coal-burning power plants, incinerators and chlorine-producing plants. Deposited onto land or into water, mercury is picked up by microorganisms, which convert some of it to methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish and the animals that eat them.
As bigger animals eat smaller ones, the methylmercury is concentrated-a process known as bioaccumulation.
Sitting at the top of the food chain, polar bears amass high concentrations of the contaminant…. Read Full Article
