TOPIC IS THE RISKS / ECONOMICS OF MERCURY CONTAMINATION - Research Paper Example

Paracelsus, for one, proved through experimentation that epilepsy can be treated with low-dose application of mercury (Krieger, 2001). Cinnabar, the principal ore of mercury, was utilized during the ancient times as a pigment. Instruments such as thermometers, manometers and polarographs depend on mercury to perform their corresponding measurement functions. Fluorescent lights are manufactured using mercury. Mercury is also an important catalyst in the manufacture of chemicals, such as chlorine and amalgam (Grandjean, 2008).

The aforestated benefits, are however, outweighed by the health risks associated with exposure to the element. These risks and the economics involved in mitigating the effects are discussed in the following sections. Risks of mercury contamination According to the United States Geological Survey (2009), cases of mercury contamination in humans usually originate from ingestion of contaminated fish and wildlife from affected areas. Fish and other animals become exposed to methylmercury [CH3Hg] – the most toxic form of mercury – through the food chain.

Methylmercury is introduced into the environment when elemental mercury undergoes methylation once it is indiscriminately dumped into the environment. . In pregnant women, mercury may be passed on to the fetus through contaminated fish. Mercury present in the mother’s bloodstream may be passed on to the fetus, causing an array of health problems to the unborn child later in life such as mental retardation, hearing loss, and seizures (Brown, Isaacs, & Krinke, 2008). A study conducted by Jiang, et al. (2010) on the link between mercury concentration in meconium and associated health risks of mercury exposure in newborns revealed that mercury levels in meconium were much higher than standards set by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Thus, the health risk for newborns in Taiwan is greater considering that fish is a main component of their mother’s diet. A similar study by Hsu, Liu, Chen, Chou, & Han (2006) involved testing maternal blood, cord blood, and placental tissue for mercury content. Data on fish consumption of 65 pregnant women was also collected. Mercury content analysis shows that 89 percent of the samples collected have mercury levels higher than the limit set by the US National Research Council. Comparison with fish consumption data revealed a significant correlation between the two variables.

In the study conducted by Ullrich, Illyushchenko, Tanton, and Uskov (2007) on the extent of mercury contamination and its impact on the food chain and local citizens of Pavlodar, Northern Kazakhstan, ingestion of mercury is mostly through the consumption of fish caught from Lake Balkyldak. The research locale is near an abandoned chlor-alkali plant which used mercury in its operations. Fish, plant, bovine, water, and soil samples were collected from Lake