IIT Hyderabad with Harvard University studied mercury accumulation in fish

According to a study conducted by researchers from Harvard University and IIT Hyderabad, climate change and overfishing are resulting in an increase of a toxin called methylmercury (MeHg) in the ocean’s fishes like Atlantic cod, Atlantic bluefin tuna. These fishes are widely consumed by humans. The researchers pointed 3 factors that result in mercury accumulation in fish – overfishing (which leads to dietary changes among marine animals), variations in the temperature of the sea water (which leads to changes in fish metabolism that gears towards survival rather than growth) and changes in the amounts of mercury found in sea water as a result of pollution. Methylmercury can cause severe damage to the nervous system in humans. It occurs in sea, ocean and river water after mercury emitted from various polluting sources. The study showed warming of seas due to climate change leading to rise in toxin levels in fishes.