Play up: Bridge is a variant of whist, dating back to the 16th century-it has now been recognised as a sport. Mr Justice Mostyn â who admitted to playing an occasional hand of bridge â cleared the way for a landmark court case to decide whether contract bridge should be classified as a sport.
But how exactly does the mercury end up in the water to begin with? Mercury is used in a variety of products such as thermometers, pharmaceuticals, and making electrical equipment; however, the largest sources of mercury contamination come from burning coal, as well as chlorine plants, and recycling of auto metal scrap.
Mercury only occurs rarely as the free element in nature. Overall, it is a rare element in the earth's crust. Its main source is cinnabar ore (HgS) from Spain and Italy. The Almaden mine in Spain has been in continuous operation since 400 BC. Other sources include Yogoslavia, Russia, and North America.