Editing IPCC:AR6/WGII/Chapter-7 (section)

==== 7.2.4.5 Observed Impacts on Exposure to Chemical Contaminants ====

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''Climate change in northern regions, including Arctic ecosystems, is causing permafrost to thaw, creating the potential for mercury (Hg) to enter the food chain'' ( ''medium agreement, low evidence'' ) ''as methyl mercury (MeHg), which is highly neurotoxic and nephrotoxic and bioaccumulates and biomagnifies throughout the food chain via dietary uptake of fish, seafood and mammals.'' Mercury methylation processes in aquatic environments have been found to be exacerbated by ocean warming, coupled with more acidic and anoxic sediments ( [[#FAO--2020|FAO, 2020]] ). Consumption of mercury-contaminated fish has been found to be linked to neurological disorders due to methyl mercury poisoning (i.e., Minamata disease) that is associated with climate change-contaminant interactions that alter the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of toxic and fat-soluble persistent organic pollutants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) ( [[#Alava--2017|Alava et al., 2017]] ) in seafood and marine mammals ( ''medium confidence)'' . Indigenous Peoples have a higher exposure to such risks because of the accumulation of such toxins in traditional foods (J.J. et al., 2017). Contamination of food with PCBs and dioxins has a range of adverse health impacts ( [[#Lake--2015|Lake et al., 2015]] ).

[[IPCC:Wg2:Chapter:Chapter-5|Chapter 5]] (Sections 5.4.3, 5.5.2.3, 5.8.1, 5.8.2, 5.8.3, 5.9.1, 5.11.1, 5.11.3, 5.12.3) discusses the possible impacts of climate change on food safety, including exposure to toxigenic fungi, PCBs and other POPs, mercury and harmful algal blooms.

''Climate change may affect animal health management practices, potentially leading to an increased use of pesticides or veterinary drugs (such as preventive antimicrobials) that could result in increased levels of residues in foods'' ( ''high agreement, medium/low evidence'' ) ( [[#Beyene--2015|Beyene et al., 2015]] ; [[#FAO%20and%20WHO--2018|FAO and WHO, 2018]] ; European Food Safety Authority, 2020; [[#MacFadden--2018|MacFadden et al., 2018]] ).

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