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Plants can help remove toxic gaseous mercury from the atmosphere as they absorb the gas and help reduce the pollutant around the world by depositing the element in soils. In a recent study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell published in the journal Nature Reviews – Earth & Environment, scientists claim that the process of removing mercury by plants is similar to taking up carbon dioxide emissions . Every year, hundreds of tonnes of mercury are released into the atmosphere as gas from mining, coal combustion, and other similar industrial processes.
When plants lose their leaves and die, the mercury is transferred back to the soil where large amounts end up in watersheds. This further threatens wildlife and others who eat contaminated fish. Daniel Obrist, professor at UMass Lowell also explained that exposure to high levels of mercury for a prolonged period can lead to neurological and cardiovascular complications in humans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no safe level of mercury for humans.
The researchers wrote: “Uptake by vegetation of atmospheric Hg (0) reduces the overall atmospheric load of Hg by 660 Mg and reduces deposition in global oceans, which would receive an additional deposition of Hg of 960 Mg per year without vegetation.”
Increase in air pollution linked to 15% of deaths linked to Covid-19
Last year, a separate study found that long-term exposure to air pollution was linked to an increased risk of dying from COVID-19. The study published in Cardiovascular Research said about 15% of deaths worldwide from COVID-19 could be attributed to long-term exposure to air pollution. In Europe the proportion was around 19%, in North America 17% and in East Asia around 27%.
In their CVR article, the researchers mentioned that a fraction of deaths from COVID-19 could be avoided if the population were exposed to lower counterfactual air pollution without fossil fuel-related emissions. The researchers wrote: “The fraction of deaths from COVID-19 that could be avoided if the population were exposed to lower counterfactual air pollution levels without [caused by humans] emissions. ”
“The attributable fraction does not imply a direct cause and effect relationship between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality (although it is possible). Instead, it refers to relationships between two, direct and indirect, that is, by worsening the comorbidities [other health conditions] this could lead to fatal health consequences from the viral infection, ”the study added.
(Image credits: Unsplash)
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