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Read the Following Scenario and Answer the Questions Below

question 23

Multiple Choice

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Mercury is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in minerals and rocks. Release of mercury from natural sources has been relatively constant over time. However, anthropogenic release of mercury has increased significantly in recent years primarily due to increased fossil fuel mining and combustion. Mercury that is released into the air eventually ends up in soils or surface water. Once in water, microbes convert mercury into methyl mercury, which is absorbed quickly and concentrated in the tissues of predatory fish such as shark and swordfish. Large fish typically concentrate more mercury than small fish.
People who eat fish with high methyl mercury concentrations can show tremors, deafness, muscle incoordination, and attention deficits. Pregnant women and children are especially sensitive to methyl mercury's toxic effects. Learning disabilities and developmental delays are common in children who have been exposed to significant levels of methyl mercury.
-Mercury is not readily excreted; it is stored in mammalian body tissues. This is best described as ____________.

Definitions:

Atmospheric Carbon

Gaseous carbon compounds, such as carbon dioxide, present in the atmosphere, significantly affecting the Earth's climate.

Sedimentary Cycle

A biogeochemical cycle that involves the movement and processing of sediment materials across the Earth's surface and crust.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water, involving the release of oxygen as a byproduct.

Algae Problem

An algae problem refers to the excessive growth of algae in bodies of water, often resulting from nutrient pollution, which can harm aquatic ecosystems and reduce water quality.