HAZARDS OF MERCURY POISONING 8 PREVENTION STRATEGIES

Abstract

In the long history of water pollution, the Minamata incident was unique. The mystery of the existence of methylmercury in sea fish was baffling at first since the source was inorganic mercury compound discharged into the Bay by the Minamata chemical company (Japan). The missing link between inorganic mercury in Bay water and methyl mercury in sea fish was bridged only after extensive research since the 1950s. This is the first known case where the natural bioaccumulation (in fish) of toxic material (methyl mercury) killed about hundred people and genetically damaged a large population. Genetic defects were observed in babies whose mother had consumed the contaminated fish from the Bay. The Minamata incident was followed by a more tragic report of Hg-poisoning from Iraq in 1972 where 450 villagers died after eating wheat, which had been dusted with mercury-containing pesticides. These two tragic events boosted the awareness of Hg as a pollutant so that was studied more extensively than any other toxic element [1].