Bauch, N.J., Chasar, L.C., Scudder, B.C., Moran, P.W., Hitt, K.J., Brigham, M.E., Lutz, M.A., and Wentz, D.A., 2009, Data on mercury in water, bed sediment, and fish from streams across the United States, 19982005: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 307, 33 p.
News release: “Scientists detected mercury contamination in every fish sampled in 291 streams across the country, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study…About a quarter of these fish were found to contain mercury at levels exceeding the criterion for the protection of people who consume average amounts of fish, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. More than two-thirds of the fish exceeded the U.S. EPA level of concern for fish-eating mammals…Some of the highest levels of mercury in fish were found in the tea-colored or blackwater streams in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana areas associated with relatively undeveloped forested watersheds containing abundant wetlands compared to the rest of the country. High levels of mercury in fish also were found in relatively undeveloped watersheds in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest. Elevated levels are noted in areas of the Western United States affected by mining. Complete findings of the USGS report, as well as additional detailed studies in selected streams, are available online. For a national listing of fish advisories from the Environmental Protection Agency, click here.”
Economist.com: “…The new study…found traces of methylmercury, a form of mercury that is readily absorbed, in every fish sampled in 291 streams across the country. In around a quarter of those fish, the amount of mercury was above the level set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as safe for human consumption. Mercury levels at more than two-thirds of the sites exceeded what scientists believe fish-eating mammals, such as mink and otters, should ingest. The leading source of mercury is pollution from coal-burning power plants, which accounts for 40% of all domestic anthropogenic mercury, according to the EPA. It is emitted through smokestacks and deposited in rain and snow, often making its way into the water. Mercury can be toxic, and adult exposure to it can lead to reproductive problems, memory loss and tremors. Prenatal and infant exposure can cause mental retardation, deafness and blindness. The National Research Council, an organisation that looks at science and public policy, estimates that more than 60,000 children are born each year at risk of learning disabilities because they have been exposed to methylmercury in the womb.”
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.