As per a research, seals and sea lions adds to mercury levels in coastal ecosystems. As level of food chain increases, mercury accumulates, making sea lions and seals to have a lot of it. The researchers have conducted experiment and found waters surrounding Año Nuevo to be having 17 times more neurotoxic methylmercury in the molten season.

The researchers said marine mammals shed a lot of mercury. The researchers have assessed hair samples from elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park near Santa Cruz. After the assessment, they have come to know that water around that area had 17 times more neurotoxic methylmercury during molten season than coastal areas not having seals.

"Anywhere there are a lot of seals or sea lions that are eating and defecating and molting, I would say it would be something worth looking into. There's a good chance mercury would be elevated", said the researchers.

Mercury is a problem in the marine environment as methyl mercury gets readily absorbed and accumulates in the bodies of marine organisms. Study's lead researcher Jennifer Cossaboon from University of California (UC) Santa Cruz said that mercury never breaks down, it changes its forms.

Study's co-author Russell Flegal, professor of microbiology and environmental toxicology at UC Santa Cruz, said industrial emissions majorly from the burning of coal have brought a significant rise in the amount of mercury in the marine environment.