Mercury in Nature: Where It Is Found and How It Enters the Human Body.

Mercury is one of the few metals that occurs in nature in a liquid state. It is toxic, easily evaporates, and can accumulate in organisms. It is usually associated with thermometers or industry, but in fact, mercury is also a natural component of the environment found in rock formations, volcanic gases, seas, and even in animals.

The editorial team of Novyny.LIVE describes the natural and anthropogenic sources of mercury, its distribution, and its impact on ecosystems.

Sources of Mercury in the Natural Environment

Natural mercury enters the environment from the Earth's crust. The main source is the mineral cinnabar (HgS), which has a reddish-brown color. It is mined for pure mercury, but even without human intervention, it can release the metal into nature.

Mercury also enters the atmosphere as a result of:

• volcanic eruptions;
• forest fires;
• weathering of rocks.

These processes release mercury in the form of vapors, which are carried by air currents over long distances. In the atmosphere, it can remain for up to a year before falling to the ground with rain or snow, as reported by Homester.

In Which Natural Environments Is Mercury Found

Mercury in Water

Mercury easily enters aquatic bodies from atmospheric precipitation. Its most dangerous form is methylmercury. This organic compound forms with the participation of bacteria in the sediments of rivers, lakes, and seas. It quickly accumulates in fish and then in predators, including humans.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the consumption of fish with high methylmercury content is the main route of mercury exposure to humans.

Mercury in Soil

In areas with natural outcrops of mercury minerals or the consequences of industrial pollution, soil can contain significant concentrations of mercury. In such places, it can be absorbed by plants and subsequently enter the food chain.

Mercury in Air

In areas of volcanic activity, mercury concentrations in the air can exceed background levels by several times. Even without eruptions, mercury vaporizes from deep sources through cracks in the Earth's crust.

Anthropogenic Impact on the Spread of Mercury

Although mercury is a natural element, human activity has significantly enhanced its spread. Gold mining, coal burning, and industrial emissions all contribute mercury to the natural cycle.

According to WHO, anthropogenic sources are responsible for approximately 30% of mercury in the atmosphere.

Artisanal gold mining is particularly dangerous, as mercury is used to extract gold from ore. In countries in South America and Africa, such practices lead to pollution of rivers and soils.

For example, in the Amazon, mercury from gold mining poisons local water bodies, affecting the health of indigenous communities.

Where Mercury Accumulates the Most

The most mercury is found in trophic chains, where it 'moves up' from plankton to large predatory fish. In seas, this includes tuna, swordfish, and sharks.

Mercury also accumulates in the upper layer of soil and in wetlands. It is specifically in marshy soils, under anaerobic conditions, that the conversion of inorganic mercury to methylmercury actively occurs.

'The uniqueness of mercury is that it spreads globally, even to regions where it has never been mined... We have found mercury in Antarctic penguins and Canadian bears', explains ecotoxicology professor John Rasmussen.

As reported, Ukraine ranks fifth in the world for mercury ore reserves, accounting for 1.9% of the global total. This positions our country as one of the leaders in the world and second in Europe after Spain in this regard.

We also discussed rare earth metals, which are critically important for the development of modern technologies, but their extraction is a complicated and expensive process. Therefore, leading countries, including the USA, are actively looking for new deposits and partners to ensure stable supplies of these valuable resources.

Natural mercury in the environment can have various sources and impact ecosystems through both natural and anthropogenic processes. Human activity makes a significant contribution to the spread of mercury in nature, with the use of mercury in gold mining representing a serious pollution problem. Understanding the sources and pathways of mercury spread will help reduce its negative impact and protect more ecosystems from pollution.