The most dangerous mercury compound, dimethylmercury, is so toxic that even a few microliters spilled on the skin, or even on a latex glove, can cause death, as in the case of Karen Wetterhahn.
Tetsuya Endo, profesor na Univerzi Health Sciences v Hokkaidu, je testiral meso kitov v mestu Taiji in našel meso, ki je presegalo dovoljeno vrednost živega srebra glede na japonske predpise tudi za več kot dvajsetkrat.