Mercury deposits in mines have been shown to pose a significant hazard to residents and wildlife where drainage from these deposits enters the environment through streams and rivers. For this reason, the extent of mercury contamination in the United States is of significant environmental concern. The U.S. Environ­ mental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating the many different sources of mer...

Beginning with detection of elevated levels of mercury in largemouth bass in 1989 (FSU 1990; Ware et al. 1990), it has become increasingly apparent that the South Florida Ecosystem is extensively contaminated. In response to continuing accretion of reports of significant Hg contamination, the State of Florida has issued human health advisories that ban or restrict consumption of freshwater fish...

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the contamination by mercury (Hg), methylmercury (Me-Hg), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in dolphins stranded on the French Mediterranean coast. The distributions of these contaminants in the organs of dolphins have also been studied. Overall, contamination levels varied according to the followin...

This article provides an overview of research on mercury contamination in the Amazon Basin and its evolution from 1990 to 2005. The assessment was based on an extensive and systematic review using bibliographic databases available online and a review of projects by research groups. Brazilian research groups were identified using the database of the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq). A ...

The use of mercuric chloride as an histological fixative was associated with high environmental atmospheric concentrations of mercury vapour (up to 0-5 nmol/l) as well as mercury compounds (total Hg to 1-0 nmol/l). Technicians exposed to this environment showed increased urinary mercury (median value 265 nmol/24h) and protein outputs (median value 117 mg protein/24h). Routine control measures, ...

The English-Wabigoon River system in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, was one of the most heavily mercury-contaminated waterways in the world due to historical discharges in the 1960s from a chlor-alkali plant. This study examines long-term (1970-2010) monitoring data to assess temporal trends in mercury contamination in Walleye, Northern Pike and Lake Whitefish, three species important for sport ...

A liposome system that can detect and detoxify mercury in aqueous solution is demonstrated. The system consists of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine and 20% PEG-PE (PEG MW 2000 Da) that forms liposome, which encapsulates self-quenching fluorescein for detection, and chelating agent meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (meso-DMSA) for chelating detoxification through Hg(2+)-responsive re...

Biologists and policy makers continue to seek environmental correlates of mercury bioavailability in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we assessed the effects of drainage basin, habitat type, size class, and sex on mercury concentrations in the northern crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Hagen). Drainage basin, habitat type, and size class had significant effects on mercury concentration in crayfis...

Although industrial and commercial uses of mercury have been curtailed in recent times, there is a demonstrated need for the development of reliable hazardous waste management techniques because of historic operations that have led to significant contamination and ongoing hazardous waste generation. This study was performed to evaluate whether the U.S. EPA could propose treatment and disposal a...

BACKGROUND Dried meat and fish have served as an important durable nutrition source for humans for centuries. Because omega 3 fatty acids in fish are recognized as having antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties found to be beneficial for good health, many consumers are looking to fish as their main source of protein. Unfortunately, contaminants such as methylmercury can accumulate in some ...