Research Found Mercury Is More Dangerous in Oceans

(Newswire.net — July 21, 2022) Orlando, FL — Experts are increasingly warning against the dangerous health effects of heavy metals like mercury. 

A study carried out by Duke University researchers has revealed that mercury is more dangerous in oceans.

While freshwater concentrations of mercury are way greater than those found in seawater, it’s actually saltwater fish like mackerel, tuna, and sharks that pose a more serious health threat to people who eat them.

The study says that this is due to the seawater itself. There is a potentially harmful version of mercury called methylmercury that latches onto the dissolved organic matter in freshwater. It is also worth noting that it tends to latch onto chloride, which is the salt in seawater. 

The study was carried out by Heileen Hsu-Kim, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering.

“The most common ways nature turns methylmercury into a less toxic form is through sunlight,” Hsu-Kim said. 

“When it is attached to dissolved organic matter, like decayed plants or animal matter, sunlight more readily breaks down the methylmercury. However, in seawater, the methylmercury remains tightly bonded to the chloride, where sunlight does not degrade it as easily. In this form, methylmercury can then be ingested by marine animals.”

This potent neurotoxin called methylmercury can result in neurological disorders, kidney dysfunctions, and even death. Exposure to methylmercury in fetuses can result in the same disorders and impaired learning abilities. 

Due to the fact that fish and shellfish have a natural tendency to store methylmercury in their organs, they are considered to be the top source of mercury infection in humans. 

The findings of this research can be found in the Nature Geoscience journal.

“The exposure rate of mercury in the U.S. is quite high,” Hsu-Kim said. 

“A recent epidemiological survey found that up 8 percent of women had mercury levels higher than national guidelines. Since humans are on the top of the food chain, any mercury in our food accumulates in our body.”

Heavy metals like mercury and various toxins can be found pretty much everywhere today. It is worth noting that more and more people are exposed to these chemicals. What’s even more alarming is that when toxins build up, they could wreak havoc on health.

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