In the Arctic, mercury remains in its benign gaseous form through the dark winter, because there’s no sunlight to drive oxidation and little bromine to catalyze the process. But in polar springtime, that all changes. As sea ice breaks up, water vapor rises in great clouds through the openings in the ice, bringing with it bromine from the sea water. (Courtesy: iStockphoto)
U. MICHIGAN (US)—Mercury deposited onto Arctic snow from the atmosphere takes on a life of its own as it is picked up by microorganisms that then build up in fish and animals that eat them. Continue…
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