Mercury can produce colorless, odorless, and difficult to detect vapor at room temperature.
Mercury spills are very difficult and expensive to clean up. This procedure outlines the minimum requirements for laboratories using or storing elemental mercury at Dartmouth College. The use of elemental mercury should be eliminated whenever possible. EHS will take elemental mercury thermometers, switches and devices free of charge. If you cannot find alternatives to mercury in your research you must use these precautions to prevent mercury spills and contamination.