MERCURY POLLUTION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: A recent study warns that the thawing Arctic permafrost is releasing large amounts of toxic mercury into the environment, posing serious global health risks to both flora and fauna.

Mercury Pollution

• About: It is a naturally occurring element found in air, water, and soil.
• Exposure: Even small amounts of mercury exposure can cause serious health issues, particularly affecting the development of children in utero and early life.
• Toxic Effects: Mercury can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as on the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes.
• WHO Classification of Mercury: It considers mercury one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.
• Global Contaminant: Mercury is a global environmental contaminant from both natural sources and human activities, with much of the Arctic contamination originating from outside the region through air and ocean pathways.
• Minamata Disease: People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an organic compound, through eating fish and shellfish, making them more vulnerable to Minamata disease.
• Release and Redistribution of Mercury: Significant amounts of total mercury (THg) are released from permafrost during glacial erosion, with some of it being redeposited by rivers.
• Minamata Disease: Caused by methylmercury poisoning, was first identified in the inhabitants of Minamata Bay, Japan, characterized by sensory loss, tremors, and hearing and visual loss.
• The Minamata Convention: It is a global treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from mercury and its compounds.