Toxic Mercury Found in Rain and Snow - Mysterious Clouds Creeping Out of the Arctic

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Mysterious Clouds Creeping Out of the Arctic http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/07/02/mysterious-clouds-creeping-out-of-the-arctic.aspx?PageIndex=2 & CommentPosted=true Normally rare noctilucent (“night shining”) clouds, which glow during the evening, are starting to move out of the polar regions to which they are normally confined, according to detailed pictures taken by a new NASA satellite.Noctilucent clouds form 50 miles above the Earth’s surface, usually above the North and South pole during the summer months.The "Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere” (AIM) satellite imaged the noctilucent clouds as far south as Northern Europe on May 25. Not long after, they were seen in the sky by people living in that region. The unusually southern appearance of these clouds is a clear sign that part of our atmosphere is changing, but scientists do not currently know how, why or what this means. The movement of the clouds suggests a global climate change in the lower atmosphere.LiveScience June 28, 2007The photo above shows one of the first ground sightings of these strange clouds, captured over Budapest, Hungary on June 15, 2007.No one knows yet exactly how the clouds form, or what their formation says about the state of our atmosphere. Researchers plan to record two complete cloud seasons over both the Northern and Southern hemisphere, in the hopes of being able to provide an answer.It is possible that the unusual movement of these clouds is one among many early warning signs of global climate change. If so, the fact that people are seeing these clouds, however beautiful they may be, could potentially herald disastrous problems further down the road.Other photos depicting the truly magnificent and mysterious patterns of Mother Nature include clouds that look like fire, cool pouch-like clouds, and other strikingly beautiful cloud formations.Related Articles: Toxic Mercury Found in New England Rain and Snow Amazing Storm Pictures Why I Decided Against Being an AstronautToxic Mercury Found in New England Rain and Snow Courtesy of the Environmental News ServiceRain and snow falling on the New England states has been found to contain levels of mercury that far exceed what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers safe for people, aquatic life and wildlife in surface waters, concludes a new report released today by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). The report, "Clean the Rain, Clean the Lakes II," highlights a host of dangers that stem from exposure to mercury, a potent neurotoxin. "We usually think of rain as pure and clean, and that's the way it should be, said NWF president and CEO Mark Van Putten. "But this report reveals that rain falling over cities, coasts and even remote parks in the New England states can contain as much as 30 times the EPA's safe level of mercury, which holds extremely serious health implications for both humans and wildlife." Mercury in rain comes from mercury pollution of the air. The leading sources of mercury emissions in the New England region include incinerators, coal and oil fired power plants, and industrial sources that produce chlorine and caustic soda. The report chronicles mercury contamination levels found in rain and snow falling over a host of New England states, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. While no standards for mercury in rain currently exist, scientists found that mercury levels in precipitation frequently exceeded the surface water safety standard set by the EPA. Mercury levels in rain falling on Maine's Acadia National Park were up to four times higher than the EPA's surface water standard, the report found. Precipitation falling on the communities of Quabbin, Mass.; Providence, Rhode Island; and Underhill, Vermont was also found to contain as much as four times the concentration of mercury allowable under the EPA's surface water standard. The EPA's surface water standard for mercury was developed for the Great Lakes region, and is not a legal requirement for New England's waterways. The impacts of rain contaminated with mercury can be enormous. Even at low exposure levels, mercury can cause subtle but permanent harm to the human neurological system. If ingested or inhaled at high levels, it can cripple or kill. A recent report issued by the National Academy of Sciences estimates that 60,000 newborns each year may suffer developmental harm due to fetal mercury exposure, primarily from their mothers' consumption of mercury contaminated fish. Currently, every one of the New England States has issued formal advisories warning people to restrict or avoid consuming certain species of fish taken from local lakes, streams and costal waters. Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Connecticut have statewide fish consumption advisories due to mercury contamination. Mercury can pose grave threats to the existence of wildlife. The substance is a reproductive hazard for many birds and fish, including rainbow trout, zebra fish, mallard and American black ducks, loons and terns. In New England, the sources of airborne mercury include incinerators, coal and oil fired power plants, and industries making chlorine and caustic soda.The National Wildlife Federation is calling on those industries to make drastic cuts in their emissions. If the industries refuse to do so, then state, local and national governments must take meaningful steps to force such emissions reductions, the report urges. "With so much at stake for both people and wildlife, decisive action is needed now to limit mercury emissions," said Andy Buchsbaum, the NWF's water quality program manager. "Once mercury pollution goes up into the atmosphere, rain carries it right back down into the water humans and wildlife depend on." The report recommends that a number of specific actions be taken. Among them: The EPA must require coal fired power plants to control their mercury. The agency is currently in the process of determining whether to regulate such plants. The six New England states should commit to a timetable to virtually eliminate mercury emissions in the region by 2010.Hospitals, dental offices and other medical facilities should practice what the National Wildlife Federation calls "mercury free medicine" by eliminating mercury use. The NWF also calls on such facilities to stop incinerating their medical wastes, a procedure which can emit a number of toxic substances into the air.The full text of the NWF's report is posted on the group's website (http://ens.lycos.com/Dr. Mercola's Comment:With 40 tons of mercury being dumped into the air in the country every year, I am not surprised to find out that the rain is contaminated with mercury. Mercury is a toxic poison and some environmental groups recognize that and issues warnings like this to help guide and protect us. It is just unfortunate that most people don't see the "big picture" and realize that the amalgam fillings in their mouths are doing even more damage to them.Related Articles:National Academy of Sciences Backs Stricter Mercury Standards Mercury Reaches Brain Directly Through Nerves Prenatal Mercury Exposure Raises Blood Pressure Return to Table of Contents #172