"Mercury levels in yellowfin tuna caught in the Pacific Ocean have been rising at a 3.8% annual rate since 1998, according to a new study.

The findings, published online Monday in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, add to evidence that air pollution, particularly from burning coal, is pumping mercury into the ocean food chain, potentially posing a hazard to human health.

"Evidence is piling up that the methyl mercury has an anthropogenic source," said University of Michigan eco-toxicologist Paul Drevnick, lead author of the study. "It’s coming from mercury emissions that are falling into the ocean.""

Geoffrey Mohan reports for the Los Angeles Times February 2, 2015. [2]