Mercury is an overlooked component of air pollution. Here are 5 offenders, and some ways to clear the air.
Warnings about mercury in fish and seafood have gotten plenty of attention in recent years. But where does all that mercury come from in the first place? Apparently, the largest sources of mercury emissions into our air and water are going all but unnoticed.
A new study published in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring has found that mercury in the atmosphere is an oft-ignored form of air pollution, especially in urban areas where concentrations can reach dangerously high levels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been lax in its enforcement of mercury-pollution standards over the past decade, exempting major polluters.
Mercury is a neurotoxin that can harm the developing brains of children and infants; in adults, exposure can lead to memory loss and affect fertility and blood pressure. Mercury exists naturally in coal, making coal-fired power plants the largest source of mercury pollution in this country. Coal accounts for nearly 50 percent of the electricity generated in this country—and almost 50 tons of mercury emissions annually. (Link)
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Here are the biggest emitters of mercury into the environment:
1. Coal-fired power plants. Mercury exists naturally in coal, making coal-fired power plants the largest source of mercury pollution in this country. Coal accounts for nearly 50 percent of the electricity generated in this country—and almost 50 tons of mercury emissions annually.
What you can do: Contact your electricity provider to see if buying green power is an alternative in your area. If it is, opt to get your energy from a less polluting source, such as wind, solar, or hydroelectric power.
Breaking News:
11-Year-Old Named Top Young Scientist For Developing Device That Detects Lead Levels In Water
An 11-year-old from Colorado has been named the country’s top young scientist after developing a system that can quickly detect the presence of lead in drinking water.
Gitanjali Rao, a sixth grader from Lone Tree, Colorado, was named winner of the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and brought home a $25,000 top prize. (link)
Mercury is a neurotoxin that can harm the developing brains of children and infants; in adults, exposure can lead to memory loss and affect fertility and blood pressure.
Mercury exists naturally in coal, making coal-fired power plants the largest source of mercury pollution in this country. Coal accounts for nearly 50 percent of the electricity generated in this country—and almost 50 tons of mercury emissions annually.
When I was a kid, I would love to play with mercury that came from broken medical thermometers. If was a lot of fun. However, I really don't think it affected my health, now that I'm an octogenarian.
I remember an event in freshman year university Chemistry class, when we were working with mercury and somehow some got into contact with my gold watch, that was a special engraved gift for my 13th birthday. It made my gold watch turn to silver colour, so I paniced and took it to the professor who rubbed it with a piece of blackboard chalk and turned it back to gold. The mercury may have affected my gold watch, but it had no effect on me (other than the said panic).