The increase is attributed to ice melt caused by climate change. The observed rate is approximately twice the average mercury accumulation rate measured on other continental shelves. Thwaites could trigger a wider collapse of the full West Antarctic ice sheet, raising sea levels by 5 meters. The rate of mercury release associated with ice melt and erosion in Antarctica has increased by 550% since the Industrial Revolution. The findings of the PNAS study underscore the need to consider ice melt as a key factor in the management of global pollutants.