Heavy Metals Environmental Concerns

As mentioned, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead are all elements that naturally occur in the earth. Elements cannot be broken down. Therefore, when elements are released into the environment, they accumulate and damage ecosystems. If these elements are released into the atmosphere, they may travel for long distances before they land on water or earth. This makes it possible for contamination to occur far away from the original site of the toxic release.

Exposure to heavy metals can have the following negative effects:

• A decrease in reproduction in fish-eating birds and animals (due to the presence of methylmercury in the food chain)
• A decrease in crop yields (due to the presence of arsenic)
• Poor health in mammals (due to the presence of cadmium in plants)
• Decreased growth and reproduction in plants and animals (due to exposure to lead)
• Neurological issues in vertebrates (due to exposure to lead)

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