MERCURY TOXICITY.   Term Paper ID:30536 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Discusses the serioius problem of mercury pollution.... More...

5 Pages / 1125 Words 3 sources, 8 Citations, APA Format $20.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Discusses the serious problem of mercury pollution. Dangers to children and the developing fetus. Industrial air pollution as the major source of mercury pollution. Power plants and automobiles as other sources. Growing problem of mercury polluted waters on fish and humans who eat fish. Lack of effective treatment. Control measures. Paper Introduction: Summary Mercury toxicity is a serious problem since mercury does not degrade in the environment and so once it is there as a contaminant, it is difficult to remove. It is highly toxic, particularly to children and the developing fetus, where it interferes with development, particularly the maturation process of the brain. Whatever form mercury is in - elemental, inorganic, or organic - it is toxic, and there is no truly effective treatment once it gets into the human body. Chelation therapy may help, but there are doubts as to its effectiveness or its ability to reduce the toxic effects which may have already occurred. Most mercury pollution comes from industrial air pollution, although more and more water is becoming polluted from industrial Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The intestinal mucosa breaks down, and absorption becomesmore extensive, leading to its distribution to the kidneys, where acutetubular necrosis develops. Severe mercury poisoning can be treated by chelation therapy, but thereis doubt that this decreases its toxicity or speeds recovery of victims.Control measures are directed at preventing exposure. Organic mercury compounds are also toxic (Goldman and Shannon, 2 1).They are found in two common household antiseptics - Mercurochrome andMerthiolate, and in pesticides and biocides. Phenylmercury was used in latex paint toprevent mildew and as a paint preservative. This is despite the automobile industry=scommitment to phasing out the use of mercury. Whatever form mercury is in - elemental,inorganic, or organic - it is toxic, and there is no truly effectivetreatment once it gets into the human body. Item1 29 2. Both ethylmercury andphenylmercury are still used as bacteriostatic agents for topicalpharmaceuticals. W. References Elias, T. It will takemany years to rid the environment of the mercury pollution which is alreadythere.Data and Discussion Mercury is a widespread environmental pollutant which can cause avariety of severe health problems in humans (Goldman and Shannon (2 1).Mercury exists in three different forms: as an element (quicksilver), asinorganic mercury salts, and in organic compounds such as methylmercury,ethylmercury and phenylmercury. Much is still trappedbehind dams, and is in danger of being released if they are breached to aidin salmon spawning, as is being urged by environmentalists. A significant source of elemental mercury pollution in Californiacomes in the form of quicksilver deposited in the rivers by the actions ofthe Forty-Niners (Elias, 2 1). Mercury vapor inhalation can cause acute necrotizing bronchitis andpneumonitis at high concentrations (Goldman and Shannon, 2 1). Methylmercury is a teratogen in the fetalbrain, interfering with neuronal migration and brain organization. Compounds using inorganic mercury have been used as antibacterials,antiseptics, cathartics and diuretics, though they are now banned in theUnited States (Goldman and Shannon, 2 1). (2 1). It rapidly produces gastrointestinal ulcerationand hemorrhage. The runofffrom these procedures drained into lakes and rivers, where the quicksilversettled on the muddy lake and river bottoms. Chelation therapy may help,but there are doubts as to its effectiveness or its ability to reduce thetoxic effects which may have already occurred. There is alsoa lot of quicksilver left in the old mines, which is a danger to amateurgold prospectors who continue to seek gold. Only about 1 percent of inorganic mercury which is ingested isabsorbed, and some can be absorbed through the skin. Environment: U. Mercury can be found in indoor air after household spills, butindustrial emissions are the most common sources of inhaled mercury. Environment Bulletin. The USGS estimatesthat it will continue for at least another 15 years, maybe even longer. Mercury salts are extremelycaustic. It was eventually eaten bysmall organisms, which were eaten in turn by fish. (2 1). Pediatrics, 1 8, 197-212. Itis estimated that only about one-third of the mercury from the miningoperations has so far worked its way into the bay. Electrical switches used in automobile components such as lights andanti-lock brakes contain mercury, and such contaminates often end up insmelt furnaces in the automobile disposal and recycling process (Knight,2 1). The Environmental ProtectionAgency is working to clean up sources and eliminate mercury pollution wherefeasible, and is working with industry to encourage the use of alternativematerials which do not contain mercury wherever possible. R., & Shannon, M. They continue to use it intheir products despite the health problems it causes, and the fact thatthere are affordable alternatives. D. Goldman, L. One of the largest sources of mercury pollution in the environment isfrom automobiles (Knight, 2 1). Organic mercury compounds are most toxic to the central nervoussystem, but also affect the kidneys and immune system. It is estimated that these furnaces emit about 15.6 metric tons ofmercury into the atmosphere each year. Ethylmercury is found in thimerosal, once used as a preservative invaccines, but now banned for this purpose, and in other biological agents(Goldman and Shannon, 2 1). Summary Mercury toxicity is a serious problem since mercury does not degradein the environment and so once it is there as a contaminant, it isdifficult to remove. This is an amount far in excess ofall manufacturing processes combined, and makes this process fourth behindcoal-fired utilities, municipal waste incinerators, andcommercial/industrial boilers for mercury emissions. Toxicitydepends on dosage, route of exposure, age of victim, and particularcompound to which exposed. S. Forty-Niners= lethal legacy. Mercury also accumulatesin the kidneys and leads to proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome. Knight, D. Fishswimming in mercury-polluted waters become polluted themselves by ingestingmicroorganisms which have taken in mercury, and humans who eat such fishcan absorb mercury from them. There has been a Ahazardous fish@ warning in the San Francisco Bayarea for more than 2 years, and along the rivers that drain into the baysince this source of mercury pollution was discovered. Insight on theNews, 17, 33. Mercury in the environment:Implications for pediatricians. Long-term exposure to mercuryinhalation affects the central nervous system . This canlead to death from respiratory failure. Most mercury pollution comes from industrial air pollution, althoughmore and more water is becoming polluted from industrial effluents. Mercury does not break down and cantravel great distances through the environment, which makes it a globalproblem once it is released into the air. A United States Geological Survey (USGS)report said that the 19th century gold miners released more than 26 milliontons of mercury into the Sierra Nevada. Central neuropathy can also occur. The most common formsof mercury poisoning are through inhalation or ingestion. Themost commonly mercury-polluted fish are shrimp, pollock, salmon, cod,catfish, clams, tuna, flatfish, crabs, and scallops. As the miners sluiced for gold,the quicksilver present in the mix fell to the bottom of sluice boxesbecause it was heavier than the material which contained it. Organic mercury can be absorbed either by inhalation,ingestion, or through the skin. Fossil-fuel using plantsare particularly polluting in this regard. Mercury is released fromautomobiles when old car parts are recycled and remanufactured, accordingto a study by the University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products andClean Technologies, The Ecology Center in Michigan, and Great Lakes United,a New York organization. Brainmaturation can be affected by the presence of mercury. Power plants and automobiles are majorsources of pollution in the air due to mercury. Phenylmercury isless toxic than the other two because it is metabolized faster. Absorbing mercurycompounds can be fatal. The most common organic formof mercury found in the environment is methylmercury, which is formed bymicroorganisms, and humans ingest it when they eat contaminated fish. Each different form of mercury hasdifferent properties of solubility, reactivity, biological reactivity, andtoxicity, and is different in its effects on humans. It is highly toxic, particularly to children and thedeveloping fetus, where it interferes with development, particularly thematuration process of the brain. Fishin both fresh and salt water are often contaminated with mercury and eatingthem can be hazardous to humans, particularly children and pregnant women.Mercury toxicity is particularly harmful to the developing fetus. cars spew mercurypollution, warn researchers. (2 1, January). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.