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Article: Excess Mercury Levels Increasing; Survey Shows Fifth of Women of Childbearing Age Are Affected
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- October 21, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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One-fifth of women of childbearing age have mercury levels in
their hair that exceed federal health standards, according to interim
results of a nationwide survey being conducted by researchers at the
University of North Carolina at Asheville.
The study, which was commissioned by the environmental advocacy
group Greenpeace, offers the latest evidence of how much mercury
Americans are absorbing by eating fish. Coal-fired power plants and
other sources release mercury into the air, which ends up in water
and is absorbed by fish. The pollutant, which is a neurotoxin that
can cause developmental problems in fetuses and young children, makes
its way into the bloodstream when people eat ...