Mercury sulfate

Mercury(II) sulfate, commonly called mercuric sulfate, is the chemical compound HgSO4. It is an odorless solid that forms white granules or crystalline powder. In water, it separates into an insoluble sulfate with a yellow color and sulfuric acid.In 1932, the Japanese chemical company Chisso Corporation began using mercury sulfate as the catalyst for the production of acetaldehyde from acetylene and water. Though it was unknown at the time, methylmercury is formed as side product of this reaction. Exposure and consumption of the mercury waste products, including methylmercury, that were dumped into Minamata Bay by Chisso are  believed to be the cause of Minamata disease in Minamata, Japan.