Less mercury in dark ponds

2002/03/22 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Biologia
• Ingurumena

Although it may seem contradictory, eating dark lagoon fish may be healthier than eating fish in a high mountain clear lagoon. U.S. researchers have found that more mercury accumulates in wells with little algae and the same occurs in fish.

It was known that low-nutrient fish contain more mercury in their body, but they did not know why Now, thanks to the mini-ecosystems built in laboratories, it has been seen that algae play an important role in the transmission of mercury. In fact, when there is little algae, mercury passes more to water fleas, which are the staple food of many fish, even fish. Now they want to clarify why small algae populations accumulate more mercury.