Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Slide 34
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
“Yusho” Poisoning
Japan, 1968
• Kanemi rice oil contaminated with Kanechlor 400
– Mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) & polychlorinated
dibenzofurans (PCDF)
• 1788 certified exposures by end of 1982
• Subacute symptoms: acne -like eruptions
• Growth retardation in school children one year later
– Triglyceride, immune & endocrine disturbances
• PCDF may have played the greater role
Module One - Terrorism by Fear and Uncertainty: Delayed Toxic Syndromes
34
Getting an organochlorine compound into the food supply on a larger scale is not
unprecedented. This event involved nearly 1800 people in southern Japan. Although the
rice oil (Yusho in Japanese) contamination was unintentional, it reminds us that an
intentional poisoning could occur via a similar mechanism.
This large scale disaster occurred 40 years ago when rice cooking oil was accidentally
contaminated with a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons including PCBs and PCDFs.
The major physical effect noted was an acne-like eruption (chloracne) preceded by
eyelid swelling and increased eye discharge. Dark brown pigmentation of the skin and
nails was also noted. Some lipid abnormalities and possible growth effects consistent
with hormonal disruption were also noted in follow-up studies.
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