AI Summary
The article discusses how human activities contribute to the increase of toxic trace elements such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium in the ocean. It also highlights the impact of climate change on the distribution and accumulation of these elements, with climate-related natural events releasing more contaminants that pose a risk to human and animal health. Insufficient knowledge about the future behavior of these contaminants is also noted.
Toxic trace elements such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium naturally occur in small quantities in coastal seas. However, human activities, such as industry and agriculture, contribute significantly larger amounts. A new study has examined how climate change already affects the distribution and accumulation of these elements and how it could impact them in the future. One of the findings: Climate-related natural events are releasing more contaminants, which pose a risk to both human and animal health. However, there is still insufficient knowledge about how these contaminants will behave in the future.