Methylmercury

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Definition of Methylmercury:
Soluble and highly toxic compound of mercury formed in the environment by microbial methylation of mercury. [1]
This is the common definition for Methylmercury, other definitions can be discussed in the article

Notes

While inorganic mercury is the dominant form, most mercury which accumulates in benthic invertabrates and fish is methylmercury. Unlike other metals, methylmercury biomagnifies through the food chain. As such methylmercury is mostly hazardous for organisms on the top of the food chain. This holds true for fish and humans. Birds and Marine mammals are quite resistant towards methylmercury accumulation[2]

Refernces

  1. ↑ Lawrence E (ed.), 2000. Henderson’s Dictionary of Biological Terms. 12th edition. Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Limited. Harlow, Great Britain.
  2. ↑ ↑ Kennish, M. J. (1996): Practical Handbook of Estuarine and Marine Pollution, CRC Press 524 pp
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