A study of the effect of mercury on organisms shows the mercury contamination in water sources, inflicting increasing levels of harm on higher especially predatory fish such as mammals and birds through a process know as “bioaccumulation”.
Bird eggs are commonly used in mercury monitoring programs to assess methylmercury (MeHg) contamination and toxicity to birds.
The eggs can be detected of methylmercury estimated > 85% of total mercury, this greatly affects to birds especially the embryos in eggs.
The objective was to examine the effects and the patterns of accumulation and loss of methylmercury in eggs of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).
Mercury affects in mallard ducks as follows: The female mallards were laid fewer eggs and produced fewer ducklings, eggshell thinning.
In addition, the duckling were growing more slowly and less responsive to maternal calls.
Because the nervous system is destroyed by methylmercury and Causes to impaired brain, will be harmed by the enemy easily.
Thus cause to die before transition to adult stage.
However, this is an experiment with controlled in mallard ducks.
And from the accumulation phase experiment found, the possible harm from mercury in eggs would depend on how much mercury was stored in her body and how long she was away from the contaminated area.