A newer emerging issue within our ocean is the rising levels of mercury found within the water and the wildlife. This mercury is particularly toxic and harmful to humans who consume seafood. Rising mercury levels pose concerns, as its effects are debilitating to our society.

Mercury is a naturally occurring metal and can be released into the ocean through various methods. Volcanic activity is one of the most common causes of mercury in the ocean, yet recently, human activities have deposited it more consistently. When humans do things, such as use coal-power energy sources or industrial waste disposals, mercury is dumped into our oceans. As time progresses, more and more of these energy sources and waste disposals are created, which further harms our ocean and ourselves as well. It is estimate that approximately 60,000 to 80,000 tons of mercury are contained within the ocean. It has been found that mercury levels have tripled in comparison to pre-industrial times in waters that are shallower than 100 meters. In intermediate waters, the rate of mercury has increased by 1.5%. Removing mercury from the ocean poses another unique challenge. Since metals are not soluble in water, they do not mix, which makes it difficult to try to pull it out.

Mercury contamination brings about concerning consequences for marine ecosystems and humans. While mercury has not been proven for mass death of fish and marine life, it does cause serious issues regarding reproduction ability and processes. Animals that are exposed to high levels of mercury absorb it into their bodies, resulting in an accumulation in their tissues. This is where concerns rise for the human population. Humans consume about 15.5 pounds of fish and shellfish each year, according to study performed in 2015 by NPR. When humans eat fish or other marine animals that have absorbed large amounts of mercury, the consequences can be deadly. Almost all people have small levels of mercury in their bodies, however, our bodies are not equipped to handle increasing levels. Methylmercury is the powerful neurotoxin found within mercury that causes potentially extreme health effects. Possible symptoms of methylmercury poisoning caused by high levels of mercury include loss of peripheral vision, lack of coordination in movements, impairment in speech, hearing, walking and muscle weakness. It can also have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes. Evidently, this issue must be fixed as soon as possible since we cannot risk the potential health detriments on our population.

However, decreasing mercury levels are not a simple task. Buying mercury free products and recycling products that do contain mercury aid in the containment of extra mercury. Encouraging education and environmental action is another crucial thing to do to aid in the decreasing levels of mercury.