In 1956, People in Minamata, Japan, Began to Exhibit Severe

Multiple Choice

In 1956, people in Minamata, Japan, began to exhibit severe neurological disorders and birth defects. This problem was eventually attributed to methylmercury, a water- insoluble and breakdown- resistant chemical formed from mercury dumped into the adjacent bay by a local factory. Which of the following types of seafood would have the highest levels of methylmercury, and therefore cause the severest effects?

A) Kelp (large, multicellular, photosynthetic protists)
B) Mussels that feed on tiny microscopic algae
C) Krill (small crustaceans that eat tiny microscopic algae)
D) Sea urchins that feed on kelp
E) Tuna that feed on smaller fish that feed on krill that feed on algae