Peplow, who holds a doctorate in ecotoxicology, was shocked by the results of testing blood, hair and urine of 262 Wayana villagers living along a major river, the Tapanahony. Every one of them had been poisoned by methylmercury, one of the world’s most toxic chemicals.
As Peplow knew from many famous cases in the 20th century, methylmercury poisoning typically can be traced to eating contaminated fish. Its effects are irreversible — impaired vision, hearing, speech and muscle control. Poisoned children often have severe deformities at birth and mental retardation
No comments:
Post a Comment