Module 1, Sub-module 1D, page 1

Chemical Hazards

Learning Goals: Demonstrate the reality of adverse human health effects to chemicals.

Here are two cases where chemicals have done harm. First involves a workplace exposure.

http://www.wlu.edu/~hblackme/chem/wetterhahn.html note the quantities involved. When I first read the account of this tragedy, cynical me thought the researcher was probably sloppy for a long time and only admitted to the one accident. I was wrong. Later investigations of trace mercury deposits in her hair demonstrated that those few drops were all Karen Wetterhahn was exposed to - just a few drops on top of standard lab gloves, just once.

Here is an example of a hazardous waste that hurt many people:
At Minamata you will find a description of the Minamata disaster. In this case, all the exposures were via the environment, none of affected persons worked for the company that caused the problem. This article was written from a legal and international business perspective, which I find interesting. The toxicology facts are accurate.