Abstract
Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination is an urgent global health threat. The complexity of Hg in the environment can hinder accurate determination of ecological and human health risks, particularly within the context of the rapid global changes that are altering many ecological processes, socioeconomic patterns, and other factors like infectious disease incidence, which can affect Hg exposures and health outcomes. However, the success of global Hg-reduction efforts depends on accurate assessments of their effectiveness in reducing health risks. In this paper, we examine the role that key extrinsic and intrinsic drivers play on several aspects of Hg risk to humans and organisms in the environment. We do so within three key domains of ecological and human health risk. First, we examine how extrinsic global change drivers influence pathways of Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification through food webs. Next, we describe how extrinsic socioeconomic drivers at a global scale, and intrinsic individual-level drivers, influence human Hg exposure. Finally, we address how the adverse health effects of Hg in humans and wildlife are modulated by a range of extrinsic and intrinsic drivers within the context of rapid global change. Incorporating components of these three domains into research and monitoring will facilitate a more holistic understanding of how ecological and societal drivers interact to influence Hg health risks.
Highlights
The health effects of mercury (Hg) exposure represent a significant threat to ecosystems and human welfare worldwide (Driscoll et al 2013), but understanding the risks associated with Hg exposure is complicated by this element’s varied environmental fate and the overarching influences of environmental, biological, and socioeconomic drivers
We examine extrinsic and intrinsic drivers that influence the routes of Hg exposure, and subsequently alter risks of Hg to human health and the health of organisms in the environment
We examine how specific extrinsic and intrinsic drivers that operate across multiple scales of organization modulate mechanisms of Hg bioaccumulation in organisms and biomagnification through food webs, Hg exposure in humans, and Hg toxicity and health outcomes
Summary
The health effects of mercury (Hg) exposure represent a significant threat to ecosystems and human welfare worldwide (Driscoll et al 2013), but understanding the risks associated with Hg exposure is complicated by this element’s varied environmental fate and the overarching influences of environmental, biological, and socioeconomic drivers. The numerous adverse health effects of Hg, coupled with the diverse environmental sources, propensity for long-range transport, complex biogeochemical cycling, and various exposure pathways through food webs and from industrial activities present significant challenges to characterizing and managing the risk of Hg exposure to ecological and public health. Ambio 2018, 47:170–197 toxic effects of Hg in biota This progress has supported global efforts to reduce Hg loading to the environment for protection of human and ecological health, such as those put forth at the Minamata Convention (see companion paper by Selin et al (2018)
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