Minamata Bay Toxic Waste

Chisso Corporation opened a chemical plant in Minamata, Japan, in 1908. It is the most advanced chemical factory in Japan in the first half of the 20th century. Hazardous waste generated by chemical substances is released into the water bay together with wastewater from the factory. This directly damaged the local fishery and brought two "empathy" payments to fishermen in 1926 and 1943. The plant began production of acetaldehyde in 1932 and the annual production volume was 210 tons.

Aquatic diseases were named because they were found in the Bay of Japan in the mid-20th century. This is a neurological deterioration caused by organic mercury poisoning. It is not really a big discovery, we already know the long term toxic effect of mercury. However, asking for long-term research is more interesting and horrible. Residents, especially fishermen and their families, near bay bay are strangely damaged by nerve injuries. Initially, people were suspected of having infectious diseases in this area. Of course, patients are isolated and their houses are purified. This brought about a wide range of discrimination among people who show signs of illness. When medical professionals and universities showed interest in these events, we found that the patient's mortality rate was 36.7% - a truly bad figure. It attracted international attention and started large-scale research.

In 1961, researchers in Japan combined high levels of urinary mercury with the characteristics of previously mysterious water deficiency diseases. Before the cause of water diseases, it bothered the residents around Japan Bay bay with tremors, loss of sensation, ataxia and visual field contraction. (See Introduction.) A disease of water illness is an example of organic toxicity. In the bay Bay which is water, the factory releases inorganic mercury into the water. Mercury is methylated by bacteria and then taken up by fish. Local villagers begin to show signs of nerve damage such as eating fish, loss of vision, numbness of limbs, hearing loss, ataxia. Infants exposed to methylmercury in utero are most affected. Furthermore, since mercury is also contained in mother's mother's milk, the baby is still exposed after birth.

Mercury poisoning events usually occur when mercury or methyl mercury is released from the industry into the environment. A typical example of such a disaster is the contamination of Minamata Bay in Japan where the word "water disease" begins. Studies from 1956 to 1960 showed that abnormal symptoms (nervous system) found in this area can be traced back to industrial wastewater containing methylmercury. More than 2,200 people were diagnosed and more than 1,700 people died of methylmercury's toxicity. Mercury is used for skin cream. In 1996, the cream with the latest problem was found in Mexico and named "CrèmadeBelleza - Manning".