On this teleconference call, Dr. Steven G. Gilbert, director and founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND), traced what happens from the time dirty coal is mined until it is burned to release the mercury that blows our way from coal-fired power plants in China. On this call we discussed how mercury biomagnifies and bioaccumulates in Pacific fish and the health effects of mercury exposure in children and adults.
Jamey Duhamel, Director of the Castle Mountain Coalition began the call with a brief overview of coal mining in Alaska.
Featured Speaker
Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT is director and founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND), and an affiliate professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington. His research has focused on neurobehavioral effects of low-level exposure to lead and mercury on the developing nervous system. His book, A Small Dose of Toxicology- The Health Effects of Common Chemicals was published in 2004, and the 2nd edition is available for free as an e-book. He recently started the wiki-based web site Toxipedia,which includes a suite of sites that put scientific information in the context of history, society, and culture.
This call was hosted by the CHE-Alaska Partnership.