Environmental Science (MindTap Course List)
Environmental Science (MindTap Course List)
16th Edition
ISBN: 9781337569613
Author: G. Tyler Miller, Scott Spoolman
Publisher: Cengage Learning
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Chapter 14, Problem 1CR
To determine

The toxic effects of mercury and the ways in which people are exposed to mercury and its compounds.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Answer to Problem 1CR

The toxic effects of mercury include nervous system damage, organ damage especially the brain, kidney, and lungs. The exposure to mercury during pregnancy can cause congenital disabilities and brain damages in the fetus. People are exposed to mercury and its compounds through emission from burying coal powder, industrial plants, smelters, solid-waste, incinerators, cements kilns and so on.

Explanation of Solution

Mercury is a toxic compound which is responsible for causing many defects in humans. The mercury mainly damages the nervous system by directly acting on the brain. It also damages the organs like the liver and lungs. In the lungs, the mercury deposit in the form of aerosols or powders and lead to respiratory disorders like COPD and so on.

The mercury ingested through water can cause excessive damage to the liver. Pregnant females and children are more likely to suffer from mercury poisoning. The pregnant females exposed to mercury can give birth to a child with fetal defects.

The sources by which a person is exposed to mercury and its products are:

(i) Burning powdered coal

(ii) Emissions from industrial plants

(iii) Toxic waste effluents in the rivers, lakes, ponds, and wells.

(iv) Smelters

(v) Solid waste incinerators

(vi) Cement kilns.

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