Climate change may alter regional and local exposures to anthropogenic chemical contaminants . Changes in future occurrences of wildfires could lead to a 14% increase in global emissions of mercury by 2050, depending on the scenarios used . Mercury exposure via consumption of fish may be affected by warming waters. Warming trends in the Gulf of Maine could increase the methyl mercury levels in resident tuna by 30% between 2015 and 2030 . An observed annual 3.5% increase in mercury levels was attributed to fish having higher metabolism in warmer waters, leading them to consume more prey. The combined impacts of climate change and the presence of arsenic in paddy fields are projected to potentially double the toxic heavy metal content of rice in some regions, potentially leading to a 39% reduction in overall production by 2100 under some models .
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report