Melting ice releases toxins from the 20th century

Despite its transparent appearance, thicker layers of ice will accumulate more pollutants in the surrounding environment.

Due to the situation, melting ice releases these substances and mixes with the water. People living near melting ice streams face the risk of poisoning from banned chemicals many years ago.

These chemicals are POPs-persistent organic pollutants. They cause many harms to humans and animals and take centuries to decompose.

Ice springs melt in the Alps, the Swiss border with Austria.(Photo: Shutterstock).

POPs also include polychlorinated biphenyls , which are widely used in the manufacture of electronics, plastics, and insecticides, which have been mass produced, until banned after the Stockholm Conference on (2004). .

Like water, POPs tend to evaporate and condense into the air when temperatures are low. Accordingly, they spread along the wind and condensed in cold places like icebergs and the highest density is the European Alps.

Scientists surveyed a two-mile iceberg called Silvretta in Switzerland. Math models and formulas are designed to assess the risk and predict the dependence of the surrounding people on the melting stream of ice. Chemical substances are independently analyzed and use the US Environmental Protection Agency's safety standards, including safe POP levels for people to drink and live.

However, the team found that the density of POP on salmon was 6,000 times greater than in the country - Earth and Climate scientist Kimberly Miner said. The Swiss Federal Bureau of Statistics recommends that people should not eat too much fish from local water sources, even if the average consumption also makes POP levels in the human body rise slightly above the safe level. .

Miner also suggested more specific and detailed studies, including direct measurement of POP levels in human blood.