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==== Mercury ====
Mercury, a shiny silver-white, can transform into a colorless and odorless gas when heated up. Mercury highly affects the marine environment and there have been many studies conducted on the effects on the water environment. The biggest sources of mercury pollution include "agriculture, municipal wastewater discharges, mining '''such as gold-mining''', incineration, and discharges of industrial wastewater" all relatively connected to water.
Mercury exists in three different forms and all three possess different levels of bioavailability and toxicity. The three forms include organic compounds, metallic elements and inorganic salts. As stated above, they are present in water resources such as oceans, rivers and lakes. '''Studies have shown that mercury turns into methylmercury (MeHg) and seeps into the environment via plankton and other predators that eat them in the food web,''' <s>They are absorb'''ed''' by microorganism'''s''', and</s> going through, "biomagnification causing significant disturbance to aquatic lives." <ref name=":1" /> ▼
▲Mercury exists in three different forms, and all three possess different levels of bioavailability and toxicity. The three forms include organic compounds, metallic elements, and inorganic salts. As stated above, they are present in water resources such as oceans, rivers and lakes. '''Studies have shown that mercury turns into methylmercury (MeHg) and seeps into the environment.'''
Mercury hurts marine life but can also be very hurtful towards humans' nervous system. Higher levels of mercury exposure can change many brain functions. It can "lead to shyness, tremors, memory problems, irritability, and changes in vision or hearing." '''More specifically, humans breathing in mercury can lead to dysfunction in sensory and mental capabilities such as the use of one's motor skills, cognition, and sight. <ref name=":1" />''' ▼
▲Mercury hurts marine life but can also be very hurtful towards humans' nervous system. Higher levels of mercury exposure can change many brain functions. It can "lead to shyness, tremors, memory problems, irritability, and changes in vision or hearing." '''
'''Because of these worrying side effects, there was a study done in the Pacific coast of Columbia to assess the levels of mercury in the environment and in the people living there from gold-mining.<ref name=":1" /> The researchers found that the median total mercury concentration in hair measured from people living in two communities, Quibdo and Paimado, was 1.26<math>\mu</math>g/g and 0.67 <math>\mu</math>g/g respectively.''' <ref name=":1" /> '''Residents in other areas of Columbia have been found to have similar levels.''' <ref name=":1" /> '''These levels are greater than the recommended threshold values held by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]].''' <ref name=":1" /> '''In addition, they measured the concentration of mercury found in fish living nearby in the Atrato River.''' <ref name=":1" /> '''Even though the concentration was determined to have a low risk factor on human health in general, the concentration (0.5 g/g) was above the [[World Health Organization|World Health Organization's (WHO)]] recommended threshold.''' <ref name=":1" />▼
▲'''Because of these worrying side effects, there was a study done in the Pacific coast of Columbia to assess the levels of mercury in the environment and in the people living there from gold-mining.<ref name=":1" /> The researchers found that the median total mercury concentration in hair measured from people living in two communities, Quibdo and Paimado, was 1.26<math>\mu</math>g/g and 0.67 <math>\mu</math>g/g respectively.''' <ref name=":1" /> '''Residents in other areas of Columbia have been found to have similar levels.''' <ref name=":1" /> '''These levels are greater than the recommended threshold values held by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]].''' <ref name=":1" /> '''In addition, they measured the concentration of mercury found in fish living nearby in the Atrato River.''' <ref name=":1" /> '''Even though the concentration was determined to have a low risk factor
'''They also determined that approximately 44% of the total sites around the river had a moderate level of pollution, further emphasizing that more intervention programs should be
'''Pesticides'''
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