Grade 7 Unit 1: Criterion D Assessment-Article

Mercury Poisoning

Mercury Key Facts

• Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil.
• Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems and
is a threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life.
• Mercury may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, and
on lungs, kidneys, skin, and eyes.
• Mercury is considered by WHO as one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals
of major public health concern.
• People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an organic compound, when they eat
fish and shellfish that contain the compound.

Exposure To Mercury

All humans are exposed to some level of mercury. Most people are exposed to low
levels of mercury, often through chronic exposure (continuous or intermittent long-term
contact). However, some people are exposed to high levels of mercury, including acute
exposure (exposure occurring over a short period of time, often less than a day). An
example of acute exposure would be mercury exposure due to an industrial accident.

Mercury and babies’ development

Mercury is a metal. If a mother has been exposed to high levels of mercury during
pregnancy, it can cause real problems for her and her baby (fetus).
Mercury can damage many parts of the body, including lungs, kidneys and nervous
system (that includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves). It also can cause hearing and
vision problems. How serious the damage depends on how much mercury a woman is
exposed to. Babies exposed to mercury can have brain damage, hearing, and vision
problems.

Generally, fetuses are most susceptible to developmental effects due to mercury.

Mercury exposure in the womb can result from a mother's consumption of fish and
shellfish. It can adversely affect a baby's growing brain and nervous system. The
primary health effect of methylmercury is impaired neurological development. Therefore,
cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills
may be affected in children who were exposed to methylmercury as fetuses.

How can a woman be exposed to mercury?

Mercury has several forms:
• It can be a colorless, odorless, poisonous vapor in the air. It’s released into the
air when it’s spilled or when something that contains it breaks. It’s also released through
industrial processes, like burning waste or burning coal in power plants.
• It can fall from the air back to earth and build up in oceans, lakes, rivers and
streams. Fish get mercury from the water they swim in and from eating other fish that
have mercury in them.
• It’s a shiny, silver-colored substance used to make dental fillings, fever
thermometers and other products.

Exposure to mercury through:

• Skin, by touching it
• The air, by breathing it in
• Eating or drinking food or water contaminated with it

Reducing Exposure to Mercury

Mercury is contained in many products, including:
• batteries
• measuring devices, such as thermometers and barometers
• electric switches and relays in equipment
• lamps (including some types of light bulbs)
• dental amalgam (for dental fillings)
• skin-lightening products and other cosmetics
• pharmaceuticals.
A range of actions are being taken to reduce mercury levels in products, or to phase out
mercury-containing products. In health care, mercury-containing thermometers and
sphygmomanometers are being replaced by alternative devices.
Dental amalgam is used in almost all countries. A 2009 WHO expert consultation
concluded that a global near-term ban on amalgam would be problematic for public
health and the dental health sector, but a phase down should be pursued by promoting
disease prevention and alternatives to amalgam; research and development of cost-
effective alternatives; education of dental professionals and the raising of public
awareness.
The European Union assembly agreed to ban the sale of non-electrical instruments
containing the toxic heavy metal, such as thermometers for taking people’s
temperatures at home.
The ban, already endorsed by EU states, will apply to new devices only. Existing
instruments or antiques can still be repaired or bought and sold second-hand.
Measuring devices containing mercury may be imported if they are more than 50 years
old and therefore, classified as antiques. Mercury, liquid at room temperature and
pressure, has been used in instruments for hundreds of years.

Political Agreement 2013

The continued release of mercury into the environment from human activity, the
presence of mercury in the food chain, and the demonstrated adverse effects on
humans are of such concern that in 2013 governments agreed to the Minamata
Convention on Mercury. The Convention obliges government parties to take a range of
actions, including to address mercury emissions to air and to phase-out certain
mercury-containing products such as paint and fuel.

WHO response
WHO (World Health Organization) publishes evidence about the health impacts of the
different forms of mercury, guidance on identifying populations at risk from mercury
exposure, tools to reduce mercury exposure, and guidance on the replacement of
mercurycontaining thermometers and blood pressure measuring devices in health care.
WHO leads projects to promote the sound management and disposal of health-care
waste and has facilitated the development of an affordable, validated, non-mercury-
containing blood pressure measuring devices.
Criterion D: Reflecting on the impacts of science
The student is able to:
i. describe the ways in
which science is applied
and used to address a
specific problem or issue
ii. describe and analyse
the implications of using
science and its application
to solve a specific problem
or issue, interacting with a
factor
iii. consistently apply
scientific language to
communicate
understanding clearly and
precisely
iv. document sources
completely
WWW:
EBI (To achieve my target level):
Target achievement level:
Achievement level:
WWW:
EBI:
Achievement level Strand
target
1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 level
- state the ways in which science is used to address a
specific problem or issue
- outline the ways in which science is used to address
a specific problem or issue
- summarize the ways in which science is applied and
used to address a specific problem or issue
- describe the ways in which science is applied and
used to address a specific problem or issue
- state the implications of use of science to solve a
specific problem or issue
- outline the implications of using science to solve a
specific problem or issue, interacting with a factor
- describe the implications of using science to solve a
specific problem or issue, interacting with a factor
- discuss and analyse the implications of using
science and its application to solve a specific problem
or issue, interacting with a factor
- apply scientific language to communicate
understanding but does so with limited success
- sometimes apply scientific language to
communicate understanding
- usually apply scientific language to communicate
understanding clearly and precisely
- consistently apply scientific language to
communicate understanding clearly and precisely
- document sources, with limited success.
- sometimes document sources correctly.
- usually document sources correctly.
- document sources completely
Student’s reflection space
Teacher’s feedback
Command terms for reference through the assignment
Compare Give an account of the similarities and differences between two (or more) items
and or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout
contrast
Create To evolve from one’s own thought or imagination, as a work or an invention.
Describe Give a detailed account or picture of a situation, event, pattern or process.
Discuss Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments,
factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and
supported by appropriate evidence.
Explain Give a detailed account including reasons and causes.
Suggest Propose a solution, hypothesis or other possible answer.

1. Use graph 1 to describe what happened to the blood mercury levels between the
year 1976 and 1999.
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2. From the article, explain why the blood mercury level has changed over the years.
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3. Choose one method of reducing exposure to mercury suggested in the article. For
your chosen method, conduct further research using other websites to explain it further.
(don't forget to adapt the google search tips)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Use Graph 2 to answer questions 4-5.

4. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages (if any) of removing mercury from
substances such as paint and fuel (oil and gas) and relate them with a factor
(social/economic/political/environmental/ethical).
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

5. Compare and contrast the percentage of children with learning difficulties and no
learning difficulties when the blood level of mercury is between 1-4µg/dm-3.
______________________________________________________________________
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6. Describe what happened to the percentage of people that have learning difficulties
when the blood level of mercury increased to 60 µg/dm-3.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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7. Explain how the mercury blood level affects the education of the population.
Suggest how society will be affected if people's educational ability is affected.
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8. Create a citation in MLA8 format for each of the URLs listed in the bibliography at the
end of the article and any additional resources that you have used.
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______________________________________________________________________
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Cite your resources:

1. Use the search tips to research effectively.

2. Go to: https://www.citethisforme.com

3. Create your MLA8 citation