Tag Archives: mercury

BepiColombo Mission Launches in 2026: Unveiling the Secrets of Mercury

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Artist’s Impression of BepiColombo Spacecraft Near Mercury

Source: ESA/ATG Media Lab

In 2026, the highly anticipated BepiColombo spacecraft is set to orbit Mercury, promising to unlock the planet’s long-standing mysteries.

BepiColombo is a collaborative mission involving the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). This intricate mission includes the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio), tethered to the Mercury Transport Module (MTM).

Since its launch in 2018, the MTM has made six flybys of Mercury, skillfully utilizing the planet’s gravity to facilitate its descent into orbit, a method pioneered by Giuseppe “Bepi” Colombo.

This mission has already gathered crucial scientific insights, including data about the solar wind and high-resolution imagery of Mercury’s surface. However, the MPO’s advanced instruments, including X-ray spectrometers, remain inactive due to obstructions by the MTM.

In September 2026, the MPO and Mio will detach from the MTM, embarking on their final descent into orbit, completing this phase by November when their focus will shift to detailed studies of Mercury.

According to Charlie Feldman, a researcher at the University of Leicester who contributed to the MPO’s instruments, “We’re hopeful that our equipment will function as intended. With the extensive time invested in building it, the excitement comes with a degree of anxiety.”

Alongside capturing intricate details of Mercury’s magnetosphere, the MPO will extensively map and analyze the planet’s surface using its spectrometer and other tools. “This represents the first X-ray imagery of an extraterrestrial surface,” Feldman noted.

Such observations may unravel enigmas surrounding the significant X-ray emissions detected from Mercury’s night side in prior missions. Additionally, the spacecraft will assess X-rays emitted from the sun-facing side, unearthing new insights into Mercury’s geological composition and evolution. “Deciphering how planets formed gives us a broader understanding of solar system dynamics,” Feldman stated.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Century-Old Mercury Poisoning Abandons Polar Bears

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Mercury pollution resulting from early coal burning and gold mining continues to affect Arctic wildlife over a century later. New research published in Natural Communication reveals these enduring effects.

Despite worldwide efforts to limit emissions, mercury levels in apex predators like Arctic and toothed whales remain alarmingly high. Researchers attribute this persistence to legacy contamination that travels through ocean currents to the Arctic region.

A research team has analyzed more than 700 samples collected across Greenland over the last 40 years, ranging from animal tissues to ground peat. By evaluating the chemical “fingerprints” of mercury isotopes, they discovered that mercury concentrations have not declined and, in some cases, remain elevated in Arctic ecosystems.

“This provides insight into why we haven’t seen a decrease in Arctic mercury levels,” stated Professor Runeatz, a co-author of the study. “Mercury transport from significant sources like China to Greenland can take up to 150 years.”

Mercury released into the atmosphere through human activities can circulate the globe for approximately a year before settling. However, once it enters the ocean, it may persist for centuries, gradually moving northward through deep, cold currents.

For instance, Central West Greenland is influenced by Atlantic influx via the North Atlantic Arminger current, while other areas receive mercury-laden water from the Arctic current.

Beluga-like tooth whales today have mercury concentrations up to 30 times greater than before the Industrial Revolution – Getty

Currently, mercury concentrations in polar bears and toothed whales are 20-30 times higher than pre-industrial levels.

“We don’t have evidence of actual killings of top predators,” Dietz commented. According to an email from BBC Science Focus, “However, the loads in toothed whales and polar bears, along with Inuit populations in highly exposed areas, are significant enough to indicate neurological effects.”

As a potent neurotoxin, mercury can harm immune and reproductive health. Naturally occurring elements are extremely dangerous, as noted by the World Health Organization, which lists it as “one of the top 10 chemicals of major public health concern.”

The findings carry significant implications for the United Nations Mamata Treaty, a global initiative aimed at decreasing mercury pollution. While reduction of emissions is crucial, the study implies that the Arctic may require generations to see recovery.

The research team will continue to explore mercury’s impact on vulnerable Arctic ecosystems. Dietz emphasizes that modeling how long mercury takes to travel from major emitters like China to various Arctic regions could be essential for understanding long-term threats.

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About our experts

Rune Deets is a professor at the Faculty of Ecoscience at Aarhus University. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Environmental Research, Molecular Ecology, and Ecology and Evolution.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

EPA to Relax Mercury Restrictions on Power Plants

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The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to roll back Biden-era regulations aimed at limiting pollutants, including mercury emissions, a neurotoxin harmful to brain development, as per internal agency documents.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is set to unveil these proposed changes shortly, as informed by two individuals familiar with the agency’s intentions. He will also introduce another proposal to lift greenhouse gas restrictions on power plants, according to sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.

These alterations signify a rejection of the Biden administration’s initiatives to combat climate change and address the significant air pollution plaguing communities near power plants and industrial sites. Legal challenges are anticipated concerning these rules later this year.

This move aligns with a broader plan by the Trump administration to extend fossil fuel usage, which has exacerbated global warming. President Trump has recently taken multiple steps to bolster the reliance on polluting coal.

An EPA representative did not confirm specifics about the new regulations or the timeline for their release. However, Zeldin stated that he “opposes the shutdown of clean, affordable, and reliable energy for American families.”

He added, “The EPA should adopt sensible regulations to foster a great American recovery, instead of continuing the path of devastation and impoverishment of the previous administration.”

Zeldin’s proposal regarding mercury and other hazardous substances, as reported by the New York Times, speculates that in 2024, the Biden administration would “unjustly target” coal-fired power plants if contamination levels were restricted.

The documents indicate that new regulations will relax emission limits for harmful substances like lead, nickel, and arsenic by 67%. For certain coal plants, the proposed rule would decrease the mercury limit by 70%, while also dispensing with the requirement for all plants to continually monitor chimney emissions.

These amendments counter the most stringent rules set by the Biden administration, which aimed to reduce dangerous toxins and encourage a shift from coal-fired plants to renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

Burning coal emits mercury, which can contaminate land, oceans, and waterways. According to the EPA, coal-fired power plants are responsible for 44% of all mercury emissions in the United States.

In the atmosphere, mercury emissions transform into a toxic form known as methyl mercury, which accumulates in fish and other food sources. This exposure can lead to significant neurological harm in developing fetuses and children, and is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in adults.

“Children’s brains are growing rapidly, and mercury exposure can severely impact their development,” remarked Matthew Davis, a former EPA official. The initial regulations aimed at reducing mercury emissions from coal plants were established during the Obama administration.

The federal government first enacted strict controls on mercury emissions from power plants in 2011 under President Barack Obama. Following this, regulations were loosened during the initial Trump administration, but were tightened again under Biden. In October, the Supreme Court dismissed requests from 23 Republican states and some coal companies, preventing the reversal of the policy.

In April, the Trump administration granted exemptions for numerous coal-fired power plants from mercury and other air pollutant restrictions. Davis, currently the vice president for federal policy at the Conservation Voters Federation, referred to these as “get-out-of-jail-free cards” for polluters.

“This administration aims to demolish protections for our health and demonstrates indifference toward the well-being of future generations who might suffer from the harmful effects of this toxic substance,” he said.

Anticipated regulations aimed at weakening mercury standards are expected to accompany plans to eliminate all restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants.

As per the latest data available on the EPA website, the electricity sector is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gases, following transportation. Power plants are responsible for approximately 30% of the pollution driving climate change globally.

However, according to a draft rule examined by The New York Times, Zeldin plans to contend that emissions from U.S. power plants have not contributed “significantly” to climate change.

He claims that emissions from U.S. fossil fuel-burning power plants accounted for only 3% of global greenhouse gases in 2022, down from 5.5% in 2005.

Analysts, however, argue that the Trump administration is making misleading comparisons. U.S. power plants were responsible for about 25% of greenhouse gas emissions produced in the country in 2022, with approximately 1.5 billion tons in emissions projected for 2023, exceeding total emissions from most countries.

Laura Kate Bender, assistant vice president of the American Lung Association, described this outdated rationale as a “setback” in combating climate change and air pollution.

“Together, these rules could lead to increased pollution that could have been avoided for communities surrounding power plants, exposing them to more harmful emissions that could have been mitigated,” she stated.

Source: www.nytimes.com