Bioaccumulation and HG

Question 1

Bioconcentration

Answer 1

substance accumulates in
tissues faster than it is excreted from contact with water only

Question 2

bioaccumulation

Answer 2

(exposure to water and food etc.)
result in an organism when a substance accumulates in
tissues faster than it is excreted

Question 3

How Does Hg get into Water?

Answer 3

• Burning of coal (atmospheric deposition);
• Flooded land (dams/hydroelectric developments);
• Metal refining – especially gold;
• Historic contamination from industry – such as pulp
  and paper mills that used to bleach paper using
  chlorine. Mercury was used in the process and was a
  waste product.
• In aquatic sediments, mercury is transformed to
  methyl mercury, which makes it bioavailable and
  toxic.