Mercury Bomb:
Recent study has found the potential environmental threat posed by melting Arctic permafrost, which could release significant amounts of mercury into the environment causing Mercury bomb.
- As the permafrost thaws due to climate change, mercury that has been trapped in the soil for millennia is being released, particularly along rivers like the Yukon in Alaska.
- While the immediate threat is minimal, the mercury could gradually accumulate in the food chain, posing long-term risks to human health, especially in Arctic communities.
- The study analyzed deeper soil layers in riverbanks and found consistent mercury levels with higher estimates from previous research.
