Even more dramatic is the study which reports changes in conditioned reflexes at mercury concentrations as low as 2 to 5 micrograms per day.

But mercury concentrations in women of child-bearing age were higher than expected, though not above current limits.

"The sediments of the Still River have very high mercury concentrations, some more than 10 times normal pollution levels," he said.

The Hsu administration was the first to take action since 1982, when the government became aware of the mercury concentrations.

Both processes accounted for the loss of measured mercury concentrations downstream.

"Dave and I came up with the idea that it might be interesting to see what happened with mercury concentrations in the lake," she said.

And the researchers did find a spike in mercury concentration in the lake after the fire.

All specimens from the Pine Barrens tested in the recent study had mercury concentrations greater than one-half of one part per million.

There are proposals to supplement the cap-and-trade approach with local measures to handle hot spots with high mercury concentrations.

The scope of the ban should cover every material with a mercury concentration of 5% or more.