Toxic knowledge: A mercurial fugue in three parts

Michael Egan recounts in his stories the presence of mercury, and the more potent organic version methylmercury, in the environment and in bodies. The issue that plagued the scientists from Sweden, Canada, and United States was that methylmercury was appearing in freshwater systems where it did not belong. It was found that despite the nontoxicity of some inorganic mercury from industrial sources, there were very high levels of methylmercury found in rivers and lakes. After several research, hypothesis confirmed that the bacteria are responsible in methylating mercury in anaerobic ecosystems by the process of metabolization and excreting them as methylmercury. The discovery of inorganic mercury in the environment stressed its hazardous potential when methylated.