Mercury Contamination in Forest and Freshwater Ecosystems in the Northeastern United States

M ercury (Hg) is a potent neurotoxin of significant ecological and public health concern. Human and wildlife exposure to Hg occurs largely through the consumption of contaminated fish. It is estimated that over 410,000 children born each year in the United States are exposed in the womb to methylmercury (MeHg) levels that are associated with impaired neurological development Eight percent of US women of childbearing age have blood Hg levels in excess of values deemed safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA; Studies have also linked elevated Hg in the blood or tissue of fish, birds, and mammals with negative effects such as reduced reproductive success, hormonal changes, and motor skill impairment