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Review
. 2017 Jan 22;14(1):105.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph14010105.

Global Sources and Pathways of Mercury in the Context of Human Health

Kyrre Sundseth  1 , Jozef M Pacyna  2   3 , Elisabeth G Pacyna  4 , Nicola Pirrone  5 , Rebecca J Thorne  6
Affiliations
Review

Global Sources and Pathways of Mercury in the Context of Human Health

Kyrre Sundseth et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This paper reviews information from the existing literature and the EU GMOS (Global Mercury Observation System) project to assess the current scientific knowledge on global mercury releases into the atmosphere, on global atmospheric transport and deposition, and on the linkage between environmental contamination and potential impacts on human health. The review concludes that assessment of global sources and pathways of mercury in the context of human health is important for being able to monitor the effects from implementation of the Minamata Convention targets, although new research is needed on the improvement of emission inventory data, the chemical and physical behaviour of mercury in the atmosphere, the improvement of monitoring network data, predictions of future emissions and speciation, and on the subsequent effects on the environment, human health, as well as the economic costs and benefits of reducing these aspects.

Keywords: emission scenarios; global sources; human health; mercury; pathways; policy-making.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The estimated global change in anthropogenic mercury emissions under various scenario developments (relative to their base year).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Global sources of mercury emissions with uncertainties. Based on [13,17,33].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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