Minamata Environmental Disease

Minamata disease was first discovered in Minamata city in Kumamoto prefecture Japan, in Japan, in 1956. It was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to 1968. The Chisso Corporation first opened a chemical factory in Minamata in 1908. Initially producing fertilizers, the factory followed the nationwide expansion of Japan's chemical industry, branching out into the production of acetylene, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, vinyl chloride, and octanol, among others. The Minamata factory became the most advanced in all Japan, both before and World War II. The products resulting from the manufacture of these chemicals were released into Minamata Bay in the factory wastewater. Inevitably, these pollutants had an environmental impact. Ultimately it was caused by daily intake of fish and shellfish highly contaminated by methylmercury.  Through gills and gastrointestinal tracts, fishery products such as fish, shrimp, carbs, and shellfish, take in methylmercury discharged from chemical plants into rivers and seas. Flesh-eating fish that eat those contaminated fish also accumulate the toxic substance( food web). Thus accumulated methylmercury in sea-food intoxicates people who have eaten a lot of such seafood daily. Sometimes referred to as Chisso-Minamata disease. The symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. A fundamental cure for Minamata disease has not yet been found. The main treatments involve the temporary relief of symptoms (symptoms therapy), rehabilitation (physiotherapy and occupational therapy). In all, 900 people died and 2,265 people were certified as having directly suffered from mercury poisoning- now known as Minamata disease.