Fish that live long and are higher on the food chain tend to have higher mercury levels. Levels of mercury in fish and shellfish depend on what the fish eat, how long the fish live and how high they are on the food chain. The EPA reports that microorganisms in water bodies can then convert mercury into methylmercury, and then it builds up in fish and shellfish. The mercury in the atmosphere eventually settles into land and bodies of water.

(We all most likely have some trace amounts of mercury in our bodies, but it’s usually only when the mercury level gets too high that we may be entering dangerous territory).

So when we burn these fuels, mercury gets into the atmosphere. Mercury is naturally found in coal and other fossil fuels. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains that mercury gets into the air from things like emissions from power plants. In the United States, the most common way that people are exposed to mercury is through eating fish that have consumed methylmercury.īut how do these fish get the methylmercury? Organic mercury can also be found in fumes from burning coal and fish that have eaten a type of mercury called methylmercury. Can be found in older antiseptics such as red merbromin, which is now banned. Can be found in batteries, chemistry labs, some disinfectants, folk remedies and red cinnabar mineral. This type of mercury can be found in glass thermometers, electrical switches, flourescent lightbulbs, dental fillings and some medical equipment.

Elemental mercury (also called liquid mercury or quicksilver).

There are actually three different kinds of mercury that may cause health problems (per the National Institutes of Health (NIH)): Mercury poisoning is one of the most common types of heavy metal poisoning in the United States. (Other types of heavy metals include lead, arsenic, cadmium and aluminum, just to name a few). If too much metal gets into your body, it can cause heavy metal poisoning,” reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH). You might breathe them in, eat them, or absorb them through your skin. “Heavy metals can get in your system in different ways. Now to put it simply, mercury poisoning is a type of heavy metal poisoning. ( Kim Kardashian allegedly recently revealed that her six-year-old daughter, North West, is a pescatarian). The pescatarian diet also includes a lot of nutrient-rich fruits and veggies. Fish is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Some people adopt this diet because fish is lower in saturated fat compared to other animal proteins. So beef, chicken, pork and sometimes eggs are off the menu for pescatarians. She believes that following a pescatarian diet caused her illness.Ī pescatarian diet is basically a diet in which the main source of animal protein comes from fish and other seafood. “I started feeling my mortality,” Monáe reportedly said. But recently, the 34-year-old star was a major topic of discussion for sharing her battle with mercury poisoning. Singer and actress Janelle Monáe is usually in the news for one of her hit songs or films.

Mercury poisoning foods