**1.2 Sources of mercury**

Natural levels of mercury exist in soil, air, and water around the world [7]. Mercury is introduced into the environment in three ways.


Also, elemental mercury can be combined with carbon to form more toxic organic methyl mercury(CH3Hg) which remains in the soil for decades. Mercury is never removed from the environment; It was moved to other sites and eventually buried under soil and sediment. **Figure 2** [13] shows the Inter-phase transfer and transport of mercury in soil, water, and air.
