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
Correct answer
C
All three
D
None
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: artisanal and small-scale gold mining, which uses mercury to extract gold, is the world's largest source of human-made mercury emissions. Statement 2 is correct: burning coal in thermal power plants releases the mercury it contains and is another major source. Statement 3 is treated as wrong: WHO says there is no known safe level of exposure for lead, but for mercury it sets tolerable intake limits, such as a tolerable weekly intake for methylmercury. So two statements are correct.
Environmental PollutionMercury Pollution Sources & Health EffectsMercury pollutionGold mining activityCoal-based thermal power plantssafe level of exposurehealth impacts