How does mercury effect health?

Metallic mercury mainly causes health effects when inhaled as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. Symptoms of prolonged and/or acute exposures include: Tremors; Emotional changes (such as mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness);

Why mercury is a problem?

Mercury exposure at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of people of all ages. High levels of methylmercury in the bloodstream of babies developing in the womb and young children may harm their developing nervous systems, affecting their ability to think and learn.

What are the hazards of mercury?

When heated it becomes a colorless, odorless gas. Some of the health effects exposure to mercury may cause include: irritation to the eyes, skin, and stomach; cough, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, insomnia, irritability, indecision, headache, weakness or exhaustion, and weight loss.

How is mercury harmful to the environment?

Mercury is a persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic pollutant. When released into the environment, it accumulates in water laid sediments where it converts into toxic methylmercury and enters the food chain.

What happens if you drink mercury?

“Drinking mercury has a laxative effect,” explains the toxicologist Gebel. “Its density cleans the intestine wonderfully.” The effect is completely different when mercury is inhaled. As a vapor, the mercury is inhaled as individual atoms and quickly absorbed by the lungs where its poisonous effects begin to develop.

What organ is affected by mercury?

Mercury may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.

What are two major sources of mercury pollution?

Two major sources of mercury pollution includes coal burning power plants, as well as waste incinerators. One means of controlling mercury pollution is finding alternative energy sources, such as utilizing renewable energy sources.