Question

You heard someone say that Mercury compounds I used to make vaccine and therefore are harmful and no child should get vaccines
Given what use you learned about chemical reactions that forms new compounds with new properties would how would you explain the error in their logic

Answer 1

Mercury compounds to make vaccines are harmful to children. Thimerosal is a preservative that has been used in some vaccines. Preservatives are compounds that kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi.

Thimerosal may be added at the end of the manufacturing process to act as a preservative to prevent bacterial or fungal growth in the event that the vacchine is accidentally contaminated, as might happened with repeated puncture of multidose vials. It is 49.6% mercury by weight and is metabolized or degraded into ethylmercury and thiosalicylate.