Rivers are largest global source of mercury in oceans

The presence of mercury in the world's oceans has ramifications for human health and wildlife, especially in coastal areas where the majority of fishing takes place. But while models evaluating sources of mercury in the oceans have focused on mercury deposited directly from the atmosphere, a new study led by Peter Raymond, professor of ecosystem ecology at the Yale School of the Environment and published in Nature Geoscience shows that rivers are actually the main source of the toxic heavy metal along the world's coasts.