Environmental dangers are very common these days. Whenever we hear this word, all we think are floods, global-warming, and other general terms. Most of us also treat or think of these dangers as an effect of humanity's inhuman behavior, which includes improper waste management, illegal logging, and many more when in fact, the real danger comes from a specific chemical that we wouldn't think to be as dangerous as it is—Mercury.
Mercury, the liquid mostly used in thermometers and is produced by various coal-fired power plants, is a silver-white liquid in room temperature but when heated, it vaporizes and stays suspended in the air for atleast more than a year. These vaporized particles are carried by the air current thousands of miles away from the source and polluting bodies of water in the way as these particles fall into them. These mercury particles fall into the bottom of the sea and then changes into methyl mercury due to the reaction of bacterias. The methyl mercury are now then absorbed by phytoplanktons, which are the food of most fishes. By then, the mercury content are able to reach humans, as humans tend to eat fish as part of their cuisine. In this matter, most of the fishes that we eat has somehow either a small or concentrated amount of mercury in them, depending on where they live. Most methylation takes place in coastal areas, during low tide. The "rotten egg" smell during one of these is an indication of methylation, or the conversion of mercury sediments to methyl mercury by sulphate-reducing bacterias. This methylation is indeed a natural process, but somehow, the sudden increase in industrial discharge of this substance has also increased the risks this chemical may bring. Methylation not only impacts aquatic species nearby the source, but can also affect land-based animals and also us, humans, from miles away.
Our ecosystem as all we know, is a chain of interconnected living things, and Earth is the home of interconnected ecosystems. This relation and interconnection has made our planet sensitive, because one mistake or one misuse of one variable leads to destruction of another. One case of pollution follows with another. But in reality, the only thing that makes our planet vulnerable is us, humans, and our actions. Our very own need and selfishness. As they say, development without discipline is a fallback. Seeking development is not a bad thing, but turning a blind eye on it's negative effects is.