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The Mercury Cycle
When coal
is burned at power plants, it releases mercury into our atmosphere. This
mercury falls to earth in rain, running into our
lakes, rivers and streams. Bacteria in the water transform this mercury into
toxic methyl-mercury.
When fish consume this bacteria, they become contaminated.
Fish that eat other contaminated fish end up with even higher levels of toxic
mercury in their flesh. Humans can be contaminated with this methyl-mercury
by eating contaminated fish. For information about the mercury cycle, view
the Unites States Geological Service’s factsheet, Mercury in the Environment.
Illustration: Adrian Cotter/Sierra Club collection; all rights reserved.
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