Question

similar to the investigation you carried out in in this lesson, in 1956 a committee on the island of minamata decided to explore the symptoms of what was being called \minamata\ disease. their results found dangerous levels of mercury in the hair of the townspeople. the cause of the contamination was pinpointed to the chisso fertilizer plant that dumped 27 tons of mercury compounds into minamata bay. how do you think mercury from waste dumped into the sea could accumulate in humans? the townspeople drink seawater mercury from the sea can get into the air that people in the town breathe livestock drink water from the sea mercury might have accumulated in the fish and shellfish in the sea, a staple part of the towns diet all of the above

Explanation:

• Seawater is not typically drunk by townspeople (eliminating the first option).
• Mercury from the sea doesn't easily get into the air in a way that would cause significant human accumulation through breathing (eliminating the second option).
• Livestock don't typically drink seawater (eliminating the third option).
• Mercury bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish. Since these are a staple part of the town's diet, mercury can accumulate in humans through consumption.

Answer:

Mercury might have accumulated in the fish and shellfish in the sea, a staple part of the town's diet.