Mercury's ability to readily change chemical states allows it to constantly circulate in air, water and soil. As an element, mercury cannot be destroyed by combustion or through biological degradation. Mercury is volatile and can be transported over long distances before deposition on land or in water. This poses a significant risk for New England. Once deposited into water bodies, either directly from water discharge, air deposition, or indirectly as runoff, mercury enters the food chain.
Aquatic organisms can readily absorb it.
This is an important public health and environmental concern. Mercury's primary health effects are neurological if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. It can also cause serious damage to the kidneys. Children and pregnant women who eat mercury contaminated fish are particularly susceptible to its toxic effects. Methyl mercury, a highly toxic form, easily passes the placental barrier where it can inflict irreversible damage to the developing fetal brain and neurological system.