“Do not fish in these waters.” “Contains high levels of mercury.”
These warnings are shown at thousands of lakes and rivers globally, as well as on numerous fish products.
But eating mercury-laden fish is not the only source of mercury exposure. Even more dangerous is the inhalation of mercury vapours, which are released as mercury is used in the extraction of another trace element – gold. Miners inhaling mercury vapour can experience the same toxic effects as people eating mercury-laden food: limb tremors, blurred vision, loss of limb functionality, and even death. Globally, between 10 million and 19 million people work in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
