Fatal poisoning from liquid dimethylmercury: a neuropathologic study

Since ancient times, mercury has been recognized as a toxic substance. Dimethylmercury, a volatile liquid organic mercury compound, is used by a small number of chemistry laboratories as a reference material in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To our knowledge, dimethylmercury has been reported in only three cases of human poisoning, each proving fatal. Very small amounts of this highly toxic chemical can result in devastating neurological damage and death. We report the neuropathologic findings in a fatal case of dimethylmercury intoxication occurring in a laboratory researcher that resulted from a small accidental spill. We compare these findings to those reported in one previously reported fatal case of dimethylmercury poisoning, and to earlier reports of monomethylmercury poisoning, and discuss the clinicopathologic correlation.