Mercury levels in Nunavik permafrost lower than expected: Study – Nunatsiaq News

May 6, 2025

Mercury levels in Nunavik’s melting permafrost are not as high as expected, according to results from a study recently released by Laval University.

Researchers were drawn to Nunavik after a study carried out in Alaska in 2018 found permafrost there and across the northern hemisphere contained higher mercury levels than any other soil on the planet, including in the oceans and atmosphere.

Exposure to mercury, even low levels but over an extended period, can be harmful to human health.

The 2018 study sent a shockwave through the scientific community, and caught the attention of Pascale Roy-Léveillé, an expert in Nunavik’s permafrost.

Read More: https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/mercury-levels-in-nunavik-permafrost-lower-than-expected-study/