Mercury threat looms over Antarctica's pristine ecosystem
Research conducted by Rutgers University on seemingly untouched polar regions has revealed the presence of mercury pollution, posing a serious threat to ecosystems. A significant amount of this pollution was observed in remote areas of Antarctica.
Scientists from Rutgers University-New Brunswick discovered that mercury pollution affects even the remote regions of Antarctica. “With mercury, there's an analogy to DDT,” said John Reinfelder, a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and co-author of the study published in "Science of the Total Environment". His research team examined mercury levels in penguins living on the Antarctic Peninsula.
What are the sources of mercury in Antarctica?
Mercury, a dangerous neurotoxin, accumulates in food chains. Animals that feed on fish are most at risk of contamination. Chronic exposure affects animal reproduction and can cause neurological problems, such as lethargy and weakness. In large doses, it is lethal.
Researchers from Rutgers, including John Reinfelder and Philip Sontag, analyzed penguin feathers collected near Anvers Island. "Before this study, we didn’t know that penguins migrating further north have higher exposure to mercury," Reinfelder commented to "SciTechDaily." He added that there are no human sources near the Southern Ocean, but due to long-distance transport through the atmosphere, mercury has the potential to accumulate in penguins.
Mercury levels in penguins vary by species
The research showed that penguins, such as Adelie (white-eyed) and chinstrap penguins, have varying levels of mercury in their bodies. Analyses indicate that chinstrap penguins have significantly higher mercury concentrations than other species. “These data give us a way to learn not only about mercury accumulation, but about penguin ecology more broadly,” Reinfelder added. These differences result from their feeding and migration patterns.
Efforts to reduce mercury pollution, such as the Minamata Convention, have contributed to a decrease in mercury emissions into the atmosphere. However, other sources, such as small-scale gold mining, continue to release mercury into the environment. Like DDT in the 1960s, the scientific community today is focusing on monitoring mercury, the study co-author added.
