Abstract
Mercury is a metal pollutant that travels thousands of miles through air and water. It flows along rivers to lakes, estuaries, and the sea, cycling between animals and their environments. Extensive mercury mining during the Gold Rush left lasting impacts on the San Francisco Bay Delta, one of California’s largest wetland habitats and home to thousands of species. Burning fossil fuels in cities like San Francisco also releases mercury, leading to its buildup in local food chains. Mercury accumulates from plankton to fish to top predators like sharks and seals, where it reaches potentially harmful levels. Mercury never fully breaks down and continues cycling in ecosystems, even reaching migratory animals living offshore in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists collect samples from wildlife to uncover clues about mercury sources and threats to human health. This article explains the mercury problem and why we track this invisible pollutant in the San Francisco Bay.
Highlights
AGE: Mercury is a metal pollutant that travels thousands of miles through air and water
San Francisco Bay Mercury Monitoring the mercury problem and why we track this invisible pollutant in the San Francisco Bay
Single-celled bacteria that do not depend on oxygen to survive
Summary
Single-celled bacteria that do not depend on oxygen to survive. Some anaerobic bacteria that live in aquatic sediments produce methylmercury. A mercury atom attached to a chemical group called a methyl group. This form is absorbed into plants and animals and builds up in food chains. The gradual increase of a toxin or substance (such as methylmercury) in an individual’s tissues over time. The increase in levels of toxins or substances in animals that feed at higher levels of the food chain
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
