📌 The Question

Consider the following statements regarding mercury pollution:

1. Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world.
2. Coal-based thermal power plants cause mercury pollution.
3. There is no known safe level of exposure to mercury.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

✅ Correct Answer: (c) All three

🧑‍🏫 Classroom Explanation

Statement 1 is correct
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest anthropogenic source of mercury emissions, contributing over 35% of global mercury pollution. Mercury is used to amalgamate gold, and large amounts are released into air, soil, and water.

Statement 2 is correct
Coal contains trace amounts of mercury. During combustion in coal-based thermal power plants, mercury is released into the atmosphere, making coal power a major industrial source of mercury pollution.

Statement 3 is correct
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. There is no scientifically established safe level of exposure, especially for children, pregnant women, and aquatic food chains. Even low-level exposure can cause long-term neurological damage.

⚡ Curiosity Raiser

Why does a metal once used in medicine now rank among the world’s most dangerous pollutants? ☠️

📚 Enrich Notes (UPSC Edge)

• Mercury bioaccumulates as methylmercury in aquatic food chains
• Major global response: Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)
• Key impact zones:
  • River systems
  • Coastal fisheries
  • Arctic & polar ecosystems (long-range transport)
• Health impacts:
  • Nervous system damage
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Developmental defects in fetuses

🕊️ IAS Monk Whisper

“Some poisons do not kill instantly; they wait patiently in food chains and futures.”