Mercury in The Everglades

Mercury, a very familiar name, is the silvery-white metallic element used in thermometers, but deadly to humans and other living things at certain levels. Methylmercury is a combination of inorganic mercury with organic matter dissolved in water. A warm, damp climate creates a perfect environment for this particular kind of element. As for the Everglades, most mercury arrives through ocean breezes and is deposited by downpours. “Swampy conditions provide a perfect habitat for sulfate-reducing bacteria, which readily absorb rainwater mercury—and turn it into its hazardous methylated form” (Stephenson 1). The Everglades has one of the highest ranked concentrations of mercury in the world; a combination of Florida’s wetlands, climate, and farming methods are all contributors to the increased level of methylmercury within the swamplands.

The food chain is a major key in the unleashing of mercury. Plankton organisms eat bacteria with methylmercury and of co...