New technology allows mercury fingerprinting

Anyone living in coal country probably knows about mercury emissions from coal power plants. If not, let me enlighten you. When coal is burned, it releases all the trapped impurities, including mercury into the air. Once airborne, mercury can travel with the wind and is eventually deposited on surfaces. Microorganisms on land or water convert it into a very toxic form which then can build up in the fatty tissues of wildlife and humans. Mecury is a neuro-toxin and can be produce devestating results, including death. Developing brains in young or unborn children are especially at risk. One of the main ways we injest mercury is by eating fish from contaminated waters.

Scientists have discovered a new way to track the source of mercury in the environment. Using isotopic "fingerprints" to examine the makeup of the mercury, scientists may are able to read clues about the source. Each coal-producing region has a product with a slightly different chemical make-up. It may someday be possible to tell exactly where the mecury in your fish dinner came from. There are a wide range of possible applications for this technology. For more info, read the article at http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/23103