Question

Which one of the following is a heavy metal contaminant that can accumulate in biological organisms with biomagnification effects? What is the disease caused?

• A. Aluminium, food poisoning
• B. Fluorine, flurosis
• C. Iron, goitre
• D. Mercury, minamata

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Mercury, minamata

Minamata disease is caused due to the consumption of the fishes which was contaminated with methyl mercury that released in the water bodies as a waste from the industries. The fishes died due to mercury accumulation and people suffered from mercury poisoning after the consumption of the fishes. Mercury is a heavy metal and the accumulation of the metal in the tissues causes the death of the organism. The concentration of the metal will increase with the trophic level.

Thus, the correct answer is option D.