Huge quantities of toxic mercury are accumulating in the Arctic tundra , threatening people , waterways and wildlife , according to a study by US scientists . The research identifies gaseous mercury as the cause of 70 % of such contamination . The airborne mercury deposited by rain or snow , which has been the major focus of previous studies , was found to account for just 2 % of deposits . The main causes of mercury pollution in the atmosphere are charcoal burning , mining and other industrial processes . Climate pollution could further unlock soil contamination of the element in the atmosphere , causing it to enter Arctic waters .
Huge quantities of toxic mercury are accumulating in the Arctic tundra, threatening people, waterways and wildlife, according to a study by US scientists. The research identifies gaseous mercury as the cause of 70% of such contamination. The airborne mercury deposited by rain or snow, which has been the major focus of previous studies, was found to account for just 2% of deposits. The leading causes of mercury pollution in the atmosphere are coal burning, mining and other industrial processes. Climate change could further unlock soil deposits of the element in the tundra, causing it to enter Arctic waters.