Mercury: A beautiful but poisonous metal (BBC)

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By Justin Rowlatt
Presenter, Business Daily, BBC World Service

Mercury is the quixotic bad boy of the periodic table - exquisitely beautiful, but deadly. The ancients believed it was the "first matter" from which all other metals were formed. Yet it is now in such disfavour that an international treaty exists to curb its use.
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"Mercury is a profound, systemic and long-term poison for humans, but also for other organisms," says Sella.

"So getting mercury into the environment is a very serious issue."

About half the mercury that enters the environment every year comes from volcanic eruptions and other geological processes. There is nothing we can do about it.

But the other half is released by mankind.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25130770

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1. It took 50 years, but the Minamata Treaty was signed last month. nt