COM JO 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Earl Ray Tomblin, Charleston, West Virginia, 4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol
23 Oct 2016
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A chemical known as methylcyclohexane methanol leaked out of a coal mining facility this morning and flowed into the elk river in charleston, west virginia. The elk river is a major source of drinking water for the people who live in and around the charleston area. Governor earl ray tomblin of west virginia declared a state of emergency and has advised against cooking, bathing, and washing clothes in the contaminated water. Methylcyclohexane methanol, or mchm, is an extremely toxic substance that smells like licorice and looks like cooking oil. Mchm can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, and the digestive tract. The chemical can also impede one"s ability to breathe. The west virginia department of environmental protection announced the leak this morning. A container designed to capture leaks held the mchm at the freedom. The 48,000 gallon mchm container reportedly filled up, spilled over the lip of the container, and continued to flow into the river.
