Mercury

Food chain

Big fish eat little fish

We eat big fish and little fish

Tastes good

Any problem?

If you like it, why not eat it?

Maybe poisonous!

Mercury build up

Methylmercury

29% of mercury in the sea …

… is methylmercury

So what?

Well … methylmercury is …

… very dangerous!

Mercury from the atmosphere …

… methylmercury may double …

… by 2050

DOUBLE by 2050!!

We’re in trouble!

Mercury poisoning symptoms

Can affect children

How does mercury become methylmercury?

I don’t know

Nobody knows!!

May be a clue

Plankton

Spongebob

Plankton

Sheldon J. Plankton

Lots of plankton in the ocean =

= lots of methylmercury

Maybe plankton provide carbon …

... help to make methylmercury?

Maybe

Maybe it’s Sheldon J’s fault!!

Methylation

CH3 added to mercury

Methylation isn’t good

Methylation will continue

Methylation usually takes place …

… at MEDIUM depth

Less mercury deeper down

So what?

Don’t know!!

Mercury emissions

Factories and power plants

Maybe a bigger problem

Maybe not Sheldon J’s fault!!

Maybe

But Methylation isn’t well understood

But we DO know …

…we like fish

High levels of mercury is a problem

We don’t want to eat this!

No mercury, thanks!

Methylmercury

It’s a neurotoxin

Poison to the nervous system

We need our nervous systems

Don’t poison it!!

Warmer oceans

More phytoplankton

We need phytoplankton

Photosynthesis

But maybe they are increasing mercury!

Mercury in the atmosphere …

… increased 400% in 100 – 150 years

Increased 400%!!!!

… in 100 – 150 years!!!!

Only 30% up in the oceans

Only 30%

Increased 400%!!!!

… in 100 – 150 years!!!!

Only 30%

Maybe we need to study the oceans more

How much methylmercury production …

… is natural?

How much is man-made?

Lots of questions

Not many answers

Lots of confusion

Labeling on cans of tuna

Often does NOT mention methylmercury levels

Levels may be TOO high

How much is safe?

Do you want to eat this?

How about this?

Mercury builds up

Big ones contain more mercury!

Mercury stays

Stays in the fish’s body!

It’s whole life!

You want to EAT it?

Maybe we should AVOID it

How much do you like it?

A lot?

We don’t yet understand …

… the mercury cycle

Mercury from the atmosphere

Methylation by small creatures

Nobody knows

How safe do you feel?

Do you want to eat this?