Development of Minamata Convention Initial Assessments
Other Studies on Mercury Contamination (cont'd)
.
Klekowski et al. (1999): The study focused on an association of mangrove
mutation, scarlet ibis and mercury contamination in Trinidad. The study
found biological pathways of transport of mercury via the scarlet ibis
which had a six-fold higher concentration of mercury, thought to be
methylmercury, compared to black-crowned night-heron which also
nested at that site. It was found that decades of molted feathers of ibises
promoted an unusually high incidence of mutations in a local population.
of red mangroves in Trinidad due to locally elevated mercury levels in the
underlying sediments. The high concentrations of mercury were probably
acquired by the birds during their annual migration to wetlands in South
America contaminated with run-off from gold mining operations.
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