Scientists have been under the assumption that the rising amount of Mercury (Hg) in fish off the coast of North America was a sign that all of the water around the Arctic were being contaminated. Recent studies have concluded that this is not true, as many fish being tested in Russia near the Arctic show little signs of Mercury in them by comparison. This shows that the spread and increase of Mercury in North America may actually be isolated, but still deadly.
Reports Of Less Mercury In Arctic Ease Scientists FearsMercury has been entering the oceans for the past couple centuries as it gets dispersed into the air by burning various fuels. The Mercury then comes down from the atmosphere and much of it settles in the oceans. You may have heard warnings in the past about eating certain fish, due to the potential of Mercury poisoning. While many were assuming that the concentrations of Mercury must be on the rise, there is some hope that it may not be as bad as they thought.
Fish populations in Russia were tested and determined to have a decreasing amount of Mercury in them. This could be a sign of a reduced environmental impact in those regions, as well as the climate in Russia being a potential cause for their improved conditions. The study, which was conducted by sampling predatory fish in regions of Russia and Canada, aimed to determine how much of the harmful mercury was getting passed up the food chain from microscopic organisms up to the larger fish that humans consume on a frequent basis.
The results of this study did not confirm what scientists expected to find, yet they do offer some hope that our impact on the environment may be decreasing, or at least not increasing much.
Featured image from ACS Publications.
Reports Of Less Mercury In Arctic Ease Scientists Fears.