Overview
- A student who reported exposure to dimethyl mercury transported themself to a hospital on Wednesday and was treated by Boston Fire Department hazmat personnel, Cambridge officials confirmed.
- MIT announced late Friday that Building 18, its main chemistry building, was closed for specialized decontamination and said consultants judged the risk of secondary exposures to be low.
- Boston Police officers and hospital hazmat teams responded to a reported mercury incident at Massachusetts General Brigham, linking the on-campus spill to emergency treatment at the hospital.
- A circulated internal email allegedly from the head of MIT Chemistry says dimethyl mercury use was unauthorized and prohibited at the lab, but the message’s authenticity has not been verified and MIT has offered limited public comment.
- Dimethyl mercury is an extremely toxic compound that can penetrate common lab gloves and cause delayed, severe neurological damage, and officials say investigations, safety reviews, and procurement checks are likely next steps.