•  Do not biodegrade
•  Danger to humans and aquatic organisms
•  Contaminants are metals and other inorganic materials

Determine nature or cause by:

  Chemical Analysis 
  Looking for point or non-point discharges 
  Associating contaminant with particular industrial process 

 1. Mercury

•   Rare element found naturally in earth
•   Doesn’t cycle through the Ecosystem and is transported around, eventually becoming toxic threat
•   Can be released by:
•    Burning fossil fuels
•    Pesticides in agriculture
•    Landfills leaching 
•    Industrial accidents and discharges, and worst mercury pollution come from industry
• Classes of Mercury
   Inorganic 
   Aryl 
   Alkyl

•   Highest risk to humans in form of contaminated food, principally fish

•   Sources and Uses of Mercury
   Chloralkalai industry 
   Manufacture of electrical equipment 
   Paint and pigment industry 
   Instrumentation 
   Vinyl Chloride manufacturing 
   Dental Preparations 
   Agricultural use 
   Laboratory/Pharmaceutical use 
   Pulp and Paper manufacturing 
   Miscellaneous processes

Greatest threat is through ingestion 
   Paint chips 
   Water 
   Food

 Anti-fouling paint affected shellfish
 

Residence in plants = locoweed 

 Can bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms