It can be inhaled in dust from lead paints, or waste gases from leaded gasoline. It is found in trace amounts in various foods, notably fish, which are heavily subject to industrial pollution. Some old homes may have lead water pipes, which can then contaminate drinking water. If lead buildup occurs, health problems including damage to the nervous system, mental retardation, and even death, can ensue. Information about effects of Mercury on the environment Mercury is not essential for any human biological processes, and it is harmful to people in even small amounts.
Mercury poisoning can result in numbness, staggered walk, tunnel vision, and brain damage.
Methylmercury is a common poisonous mercury compound in aquatic environments, making eating too much fish from streams and rivers a dangerous way of life. Mercury is needed for many important products, including fluorescent lights, street lamps, thermometers and thermostats, and some paints. Small amounts of Nickel are needed by the human body to produce red blood cells, however, in excessive amounts, can become mildly toxic. The EPA does not currently regulate nickel levels in drinking water. Nickel can accumulate in aquatic life, but its presence is not magnified along food chains.