Was there a dimethylmercury poisoning at MIT? Alleged email leaked as Building 18 remains shut amid emergency
MIT’s Building 18 was closed for decontamination after one student was exposed to unauthorized material, reportedly dimethylmercury, though unverified.
MIT's Building 18, the chemistry laboratory, has been sealed since Friday night for specialized decontamination, following an alleged incident involving dimethyl mercury exposure. A student was reportedly exposed to the toxic compound on Wednesday evening and taken to a hospital, where they are currently being treated by the Boston Fire Department's Hazmat team.
A leaked email purportedly from MIT's Chemistry department head, Matthew D. Shoulders, suggests that the unauthorized use of dimethyl mercury was the cause. The compound, among the most toxic known, can cause severe neurological damage with minimal exposure. While MIT has stated that the risk of secondary exposure is low, the leak has sparked speculation on social media that the student may have died from the poisoning, reminiscent of the 1996 death of Dartmouth professor Karen Wetterhahn.
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