Knowra Mercury (element) Mercury (element) Mercury is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is a dense, silvery metal that is liquid at room temperature and can move through air, water, and sediments.
Mercury cycle : The movement of mercury among the atmosphere, land, water, sediments, and organisms. Tracks how mercury emissions reach sediments and return to other parts of the environment.
Minamata disease : A neurological disease caused by severe methylmercury poisoning, first recognized in Minamata, Japan. The outbreak demonstrated the human consequences of mercury discharged into aquatic food webs.
Volcanic gas : Gas and aerosols released by volcanic activity, including sulfur compounds, water vapor, and trace elements. Volcanic emissions can carry mercury into the atmosphere before it deposits onto land or water.
Chemical element : A pure substance whose atoms all have the same number of protons. Mercury is element 80, defined by its 80 protons.
Bioaccumulation : The buildup of a substance in an organism when uptake exceeds elimination. Organisms can retain mercury acquired from water, food, or sediment.
Methylmercury : An organic mercury compound formed when a methyl group bonds to mercury. Microbial conversion in aquatic settings creates a form that readily accumulates in food webs.
Mercury poisoning : Illness caused by exposure to elemental, inorganic, or organic mercury compounds. Different environmental forms of mercury create distinct routes and patterns of exposure.
Mercury mining : The extraction of mercury-bearing ores or native mercury for commercial use. Mining and ore processing have released mercury directly into surrounding landscapes and waterways.
Mercury(I) chloride : An inorganic mercury compound, Hg₂Cl₂, also known as calomel. It illustrates mercury's +1 oxidation state and its occurrence in chemical compounds.
Biomagnification : The increase in a contaminant's concentration across successive levels of a food web. Methylmercury concentrations can rise from prey to predators, including humans.
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