The mindmata disease

Minamata disease occurred in human who ate fish contaminated by methyl mercury discharged in waste water from a chemical plant.  In May 1956 the disease was first officially discovered in minamata city, South west region of Japan's Kyushu Island.

In 1932 the Chisso corporation  started manufacturing acetaldehyde, used to produce plastic. Mercury from the factory began to spill into the bay. The heavy metal turned into methyl mercury chloride and enter food chain. The Minamata bay was a source of fish and Marine products in bay displayed high level of mercury contamination.

Due to this contamination, cats began to exhibit bizarre behavior that sometimes resulted in their falling into the sea and dying. The local people referred to as 'cat suicide '. Later similar behavior began appear in humans. People would stumbled while walking, not be able to write or button their buttons, have trouble hearing or swallowing  or tremble  uncontrollably.  By the end of 1956 medical researcher identified the disease as heavy metal poising by eating the fish of Minamata Bay. Children were also born with the disease.

From this, the research person say that
The chemical such as DDT or heavy metals are not excreted or broke down  but sorted in tissue . So this is a good and clear example of how  industrialization  can cause harm to biodiversity and particularly to human beings.