mercury pollution

[kach22i]

Coal-burning power plants, common in rapidly industrialising Asian countries, are a major source of mercury pollution.

Most human exposure to methylmercury is through the consumption of large predatory marine fish such as swordfish and tuna

So what can be done?

[Flieger]

Stop burning coal and don't eat fish until the mercury levels go back to normal. And keep shipping our natural gas to China.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Why deep sea fish contain more toxic mercury than shallow water fish - CSMonitor.com

Fish with the highest levels of mercury include: the King Mackerel, 
Marlin, Orange Roughy, 
Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish, Bigeye, and Ahi Tuna. In the US, tuna is the biggest threat to human health, as a popular fish with a high mercury content.

Safer choices with less than 0.09 parts per million of mercury include: Catfish; Tilapia; Whitefish; Haddock; Herring; Flounder; and Salmon.

Someone recently told me that Salmon was highest in mercury, including outside of the Great Lakes which is naturally high.

I'll have to do more reading on this.

[Evans, Marv]

Sorry for the mistake about coating the penny with mercury. It's been over 60 years, so it must have been dimes. I almost never got to touch a quarter. It could be coating coins wasn't dangerous, but we used to be able to get it on an occasional basis, and it could have been carried into the air when we cleaned out hands or did other things with it. I'm no expert and do believe it has gotten into the food chain to represent a danger to us & other animals, especially fish.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

That does not work. It has to be a silver coin for the Mercury to attach to. It worked on dimes and quarters back when there was silver in them. Never on a penny.

It will also destroy a gold ring. Mercury will dissolve gold.

The Air Force base would fog the streets with DDT. All the kids would ride bikes in the cloud of DDT because it was cool.

DDT clouds are not that dangerous to human beings. It is the accumulation of DDT in the animal food chain that is the great danger, especially for birds like Pelicans. DDT in their food chain will cause eggshells to be so thin that the breeding bird will crush them. So, no more Pelicans and the like. I think that was one of the main reasons why DDT was banned in the US and other countries. I also remember in the sixties being exposed to daily DDT cloudings from trucks in an Italian resort. That was supposed to control the mosquiito population then.

[RWebb]

Salmon should not be highest in mercury, tho I'd avoid farmed salmon

Tuna and other fish that eat high on the food chain will be high, as mercury bioaccumulates.

The findings re photo-oxidation of methyl-mercury are interesting.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by porwolf

DDT clouds are not that dangerous to human beings. It is the accumulation of DDT in the animal food chain that is the great danger, especially for birds like Pelicans. DDT in their food chain will cause eggshells to be so thin that the breeding bird will crush them. So, no more Pelicans and the like. I think that was one of the main reasons why DDT was banned in the US and other countries. I also remember in the sixties being exposed to daily DDT cloudings from trucks in an Italian resort. That was supposed to control the mosquiito population then.

A Silent Spring was about bald eagles but I assume all birds would be similarly affected.