Mercury pollution is widely recognized as a serious ecological problem. Much of the mercury released into the environment originates as a byproduct of coal burning and other industrial processes. It does not become dangerous until it falls into large bodies of water, where microorganisms convert it to methylmercury (CH²⁰³₃), an organic form that is particularly toxic. Fish are the intermediaries: They ingest and absorb the methylmercury and are then eaten by humans. Men and women, however, may not metabolize CH²⁰³₃ at the same rate. In one study investigating that issue, six women were given a known amount of protein-bound methylmercury. Shown in the following table are the half-lives of the methylmercury in their systems (114). For men, the average CH²⁰³₃ half-life is believed to be eighty days. Assume that for both genders, CH²⁰³₃ half-lives are normally distributed with a standard deviation (σ) of eight days. Construct a 95% confidence interval for the true female CH²⁰³₃ half-life. Based on these data, is it believable that males and females metabolize methylmercury at the same rate? Explain.

Females                      CH²⁰³₃ Half-Life

AE………………………….  52

EH………………………….  69

LJ…………………………..  73

AN…………………………. 88

KR…………………………. 87

LU………………………….  56