Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 20
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
Methylmercury Poisoning
Iraq, 1971-1972
• Wheat crop failure in 1970
• Sept to Nov, 1971 govt distrib mercury treated crops
– 73,201 metric tons wheat
– 22,262 tons barley seed
• Seed intended for planting
– Methylmercury added to grain seeds as an antifungal
– Warning in English
– Shipment received after planting
• Grain used to make flour rather than plant it
– MeHg content 9.1 mg/kg (range 4.8 -14.6)
Module One - Terrorism by Fear and Uncertainty: Delayed Toxic Syndromes
20
Other forms of organic mercury may also be toxic in a delayed fashion following acute
short term exposure.
A famous example is this unintentional poisoning event in Iraq in the 1970s.
USAID (United States Agency for International Development) supplied seed grain to
Iraqi farmers following a couple of wheat crop failures.
Methylmercury was added to the grain as a fungicide to protect it from deterioration prior
to planting. However, the grain was not distributed until after the planting season.
Although there was a warning on the bags not to eat the grain, the warning was in
English and Spanish, not Arabic.
The hungry population ground the unplanted seeds to make flour for bread and were
exposed to about 9 mg of methylmercury per kilogram of flour.
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