How does mercury get into the ocean's fish?

Question

How does mercury get into the ocean's fish?

Answer 1

The main cause of mercury in fish is coal-fired power plants. Coal has

a small amount of mercury in it. When it is burned in the power plants,

the mercury spreads through the atmosphere. It is then washed to the

earth by rain, where is enters rivers, lakes, and oceans. It is first taken

up by all sea life in the food chain, and it stays in their cells. Organisms

that are higher up on the food chain consume more mercury, and therefore

have more mercury built up in their cells. The process of increased

toxicity in animals that are higher on the food chain is called 'bio

amplification'. Coal plants are the largest source of electrical power in the

United States. All of the time that we use our lightbulbs, televisions, and

computers, we are poisoning the fish with mercury. The solution is

photovoltaic panels.

Answer 2

down the river from industries that use it and it is a by-product.

Answer 3

Because it somehow finds it way into the ocean through direct dumping, runoff from factories and other sources.  Once mercury is in a system, it's very difficult to get rid of.  Usually it falls down into the sediment at the bottom of the ocean floor where it gets taken in by filter feeders.  These filter feeders are usually eaten by a larger animal and so on up the food chain.  Mercury is a chemical that increases in toxicity as it goes up the food chain so when it gets to larger fish the concentration has increased, sometimes to levels that can affect us when we eat it.

Answer 4

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