In contrast, if lakes become acidic, mercury that's in the bottom sediments can actually be dissolved into the water. There are no current methods used on lakes. These samples show how much mercury is stored in their bodies. As more samples are collected we hope to have a clearer picture of how mercury and the loons' health are related. As shown in this picture, we collect the second, secondary feather.
Previous studies indicate that feathers serve as the primary excretory pathway for organic mercury.
Therefore, they are like a record of circulating blood levels at the time of feather formation. The feathers can be stored for long periods, without changing the mercury content. Blood samples are more likely than feathers to give a recent history of mercury uptake. This is because mercury binds to red blood cells, and these red blood cells have a life span of about 3 months. In fact, human consumption of fish is not recommended on many lakes due to mercury pollution.