Where can mercury be found Where Can Mercury Be Found? Mercury is a silvery liquid metal at room temperature. Mercury conducts electricity, expands uniformly with temperature and easily forms alloys with other metals. For these reasons, it is used in many products found in homes and schools. Mercury is also an element that occurs naturally in the earth's surface. It does not degrade and is not destroyed by combustion. Instead, mercury changes into a vapor that can travel long distances when volatilized. Mercury cycles between soils, the atmosphere and surface waters. Its toxicity can endanger living organisms and produce adverse health effects in humans. Mercury is an issue that you can do something about Mercury is used in a wide variety of household products, including paint, thermometers, thermostats, batteries, fluorescent lamps, disinfectants, antiseptics, diuretics and preservatives. These items release mercury into the environment and home when broken, mishandled or disposed. Proper care is important when dealing with mercury-containing products. If spilled, mercury absorbs into many household materials while slowly evaporating into the air over time, allowing for exposure. Knowing what products and items contain mercury and handling them properly will limit the risk of mercury exposure.

Common products often have a simple and environmentally friendly alternative. Some examples are listed below: Thermometers - Mercury is used in thermometers because it expands and contracts evenly with temperature changes. Existing mercury-containing thermometers are safely recycled at the nearest recycling facility. Check with your local solid waste management district for local options. Alternatives include the electronic (digital) or red alcohol thermometers. Household switches (Thermostats) - Mercury conducts electricity and is used in many household and appliance switches. They are used in temperature-sensitive and mechanical (tilt) switches. Many of these switches are inside the appliance. Examples of appliances that have mercury switches include thermostats, clothing irons and top loading freezers and washing machines. Some products, like thermostats are recycled through local recycling companies and new equipment vendors. Mechanical and electronic switches are available in mercury-free versions. Household Lamps - Fluorescent, high intensity discharge (HID) and neon lamps contain mercury, often in vaporform. Mercury is released when bulbs are broken or incinerated. Fluorescent lamps aregood energy savers, using up to 50 percent less electricity than incandescent lights. This energy savings reduces mercury emissions from power plants.

Alternatives are labeled as low mercury lamps and often can be recognized by their green endcaps. Batteries - Before 1980, most batteries used in homes contained mercury. Current mercury batteries are "button" shaped and are used in hearing aids, watches and other items requiring a small battery. In the last decade the United States battery industry achieved a 99 percent reduction in mercury by using alternative materials. Silver oxide, zinc-air, and alkaline batteries are the best alternatives for replacing batteries produced before 1994. Paints - Latex paint produced before 1992 had large amounts of mercury to prevent fungus growth. Mercury vapors were released when paint was applied. Use latex paint manufactured after 1992. Old Chemistry Sets and Toys - Children's chemistry sets were once sold with liquid mercury. Some toys contain a drop of mercury that is moved through a maze, called a mercury maze. Check chemistry sets and toys to be sure they are mercury-free.Lighted Athletic Shoes - Some athletic shoes with flashing lights in the soles contain mercury. Some states have banned the sale of these shoes. Newer shoes are mercury-free.

Pesticides - Fungicides and biocides produced before 1994 used mercury toxins to kill fungus, weeds and other pests. Most new pesticides are mercury-free. Clothing Irons - Some irons have an automatic shut-off switch containing mercury. Irons with mercury-free automatic shut-off switches are available. Antiseptics - Mercurochrome is a skin antiseptic used to treat cuts and abrasions. It is not commonly used. Mercury-free alternatives include Neosporin and Mycin. Thimerosal is used in antiseptic creams and as preservatives in pharmaceutical solutions including contact lens solutions. Mercury-free products are substituted, when available. Talk to your pharmacist about alternatives. Blood Pressure Gauges - Home blood pressure gauges contain almost 1.5 pounds of mercury. An aneroid blood-ressure unit is a mercury-free option. Barometers - A barometer is an instrument used to measure pressure in the atmosphere that contains liquid mercury. A Bourdon tube gauge is an alternative to mercury-containing barometers. Microwave Ovens - Mercury vapor bulbs were used in older microwave ovens. However, new models do not contain mercury Information provided by: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Mercury: 1.

What is mercury? 1. What is mercury? 1.1 In what forms does mercury exist? 1.2 How does mercury exist in the environment? 1.3 How can the form of mercury affect living organisms and the environment? 1.1 In what forms does mercury exist? Mercury occurs naturally in the environment. Sometimes known as quicksilver, it is a heavy metal , like lead or cadmium, that exists in different chemical forms: Elemental mercury or metallic mercury is the element in its pure, ‘un-combined’ form. It is a shiny, silver-white metal that is liquid at room temperature, but is rarely found in this form in nature. If not sealed off, mercury slowly evaporates into the air, forming a vapour. The quantity of vapour formed increases as temperatures rise. Elemental mercury is traditionally used in thermometers and some electrical switches. Inorganic mercury compounds or mercury salts, more commonly found in nature, include mercuric sulphide (HgS), mercuric oxide (HgO) and mercuric chloride (HgCl2). Most of these are white powders or crystals, except for mercuric sulphide which is red and turns black after exposure to light.

Some mercury salts, such as mercury chloride, also form vapour, but they stay in the air for a shorter time than elemental mercury because they are more soluble in water and more reactive. Organic mercury is formed when mercury combines with carbon and other elements. Examples of organic mercury compounds are dimethylmercury , phenylmercuric acetate and methylmercuric chloride. The form most commonly found in the environment is methylmercury . 1.2 How does mercury exist in the environment? Several forms of mercury exist naturally in the environment, the most common being metallic mercury , mercuric sulphide, mercuric chloride, and methylmercury . Natural processes can change the mercury from one form to another. For instance, chemical reactions in the atmosphere can transform elemental mercury into inorganic mercury . Some micro-organisms can produce organic mercury , particularly methylmercury , from other mercury forms. Methylmercury can accumulate in living organisms and reach high levels in fish and marine mammals via a process called biomagnification (i.e. concentrations increase in the food chain). Because mercury is one of the basic chemical elements, of which all things are made, it cannot be broken down or degraded into something else.

Once released into the biosphere through natural events or human activities ( see Question 4 ), mercury readily moves and cycles through the environment. Soil, water bodies and the sediments underneath them are believed to be the places where mercury comes to rest until it is ultimately removed from the biosphere again. More... 1.3 How can the form of mercury affect living organisms and the environment? Different forms of mercury ( see 1.1 ) affect living organisms and the environment differently. For exposed living organisms, the form of mercury affects: how available it is to cause effects within the body; how it moves around inside the body; how toxic it is; how it accumulates , is transformed and leaves the body; how it biomagnifies (builds up) along the food chain. For the environment, the form of mercury influences how readily it can move within and between the atmosphere and oceans, and how far it can travel in the air. For instance, elemental mercury vapour can stay in the atmosphere long enough to travel around the world, whereas other forms of mercury may fall back to earth relatively close to their source. Emissions of some forms of mercury into the air (for example from industry) can be controlled more easily than others.

Inorganic mercury can be removed from air emissions reasonably well, while elemental mercury emissions are more difficult to capture and eliminate. More... It's Elemental - The Element Mercury It's Elemental Melting Point: 234.32 K (-38.83°C or -37.89°F) Boiling Point: 629.88 K (356.73°C or 674.11°F) Density: 13.5336 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at Room Temperature: Liquid Element Classification: Metal Period Number: 6 Group Number: 12 Group Name: none What's in a name? Named after the planet Mercury . Mercury's chemical symbol comes from the Greek word hydrargyrum, which means "liquid silver." Say what? Mercury is pronounced as MER-kyoo-ree. History and Uses: Mercury was known to the ancient Chinese and Hindus and has been found in 3500 year old Egyptian tombs. Mercury is not usually found free in nature and is primarily obtained from the mineral cinnabar (HgS). Spain and Italy produce about half of the world's supply of Mercury.

Mercury can be used to make thermometers, barometers and other scientific instruments. Mercury conducts electricity and is used to make silent, position dependent switches. Mercury vapor is used in streetlights, fluorescent lamps and advertising signs. Mercury easily forms alloys with other metals, such as gold , silver , zinc and cadmium . These alloys are called amalgams. Amalgams are used to help extract gold from its ores, create dental fillings (in the case of silver) and help extend the life of dry cell batteries (in the case of zinc and cadmium). Mercury forms useful compounds with other elements. Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) is a very poisonous salt and was once used to disinfect wounds. Mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2), also called calomel, is an antiseptic used to kill bacteria. Mercuric sulfide (HgS) is used to make a red paint pigment called vermilion. Mercuric oxide (HgO) is used to make mercury batteries. Mercury is poisonous and can enter the body through the respiratory tract, the digestive tract or directly through the skin. It accumulates in the body, eventually causing severe illness or death.

Estimated Crustal Abundance: 8.5×10-2 milligrams per kilogram Estimated Oceanic Abundance: 3×10-5 milligrams per liter Number of Stable Isotopes: 7 ( View all isotope data ) Ionization Energy: 10.438 eV How thermometer is made - material, production process, manufacture, used, parts, components, dimensions Thermometer Background A thermometer is a device used to measure temperature. The thermoscope, developed by Galileo around 1592, was the first instrument used to measure temperature qualitatively. It was not until 1611 that Sanctorius Sanctorius, a colleague of Galileo, devised and added a scale to the thermoscope, thus facilitating quantitative measurement of temperature change. By this time the instrument was called the thermometer, from the Greek words therme ("heat") and metron ("measure"). About 1644 it became obvious, however, that this instrument—comprising a large bulb flask with a long, open neck, using wine to indicate the reading—was extremely sensitive to barometric pressure.

To alleviate the problem, Grand Duke Ferdinand II of Tuscany developed a process to hernetically seal the thermometer, thereby eliminating outside barometric influence. The basic form has varied little since. There are many types of thermometers in use today: the recording thermometer uses a pen on a rotating drum to continuously record temperature readings; the digital readout thermometers often coupled with other weather measuring devices; and the typical household types hung on a wall, post, or those used for medical purposes. With a thermometer, temperature can be measured using any of three primary units: Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin. At one point during the eighteenth century, nearly 35 scales of measure had been developed and were in use. In 1714 Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, a Dutch instrument maker known for his fine craftsmanship, developed a thermometer using 32 (the melting point of ice) and 96 (the standard temperature of the human body) as his fixed points. It has since been determined that 32 and 212 (the boiling point of water) are the scale's fixed points, with 98.6 being accepted as the healthy, normal body temperature.

Swedish scientist Anders Celsius, in 1742, assigned 0 degrees as the point at which water boiled and 100 degrees as the point at which ice melted. These two figures were eventually switched—creating the scale we know today—with 0 degrees as the freezing point of water and 100 degrees as the boiling point. Use of this scale quickly spread through Sweden and to France, and for two centuries it was known as the centigrade scale. The name was changed in 1948 to Celsius to honor its inventor. In 1848 another scientist, Lord Kelvin (William Thomson), proposed another scale based on the same principles as the Celsius thermometer, with the fixed point of absolute zero set at the equivalent of -273.15 degrees Celsius (the units used on this scale are called Kelvin [K]). The freezing and boiling points of water are registered at 273 K and 373 K respectively. The Kelvin scale is most often used in scientific research studies. Design The operating principle of a thermometer is quite simple. A known measure of liquid (mercury, alcohol, or a hydrocarbon-based fluid) is vacuum-sealed in a glass tube.

The liquid expands or contracts when air is heated or cooled. As the liquid level changes, a corresponding temperature scale can be read to indicate the current temperature. Thermometer manufacturers start with glass blanks with bores down the middle; these are usually received from glass manufacturers. The bulb reservoir is formed by heating one end of the glass tube and pinching it closed. The bulb is sealed at its bottom, leaving an open tube at the top. Next, with the open end down in a vacuum chamber, air is evacuated from the glass tube, and the hydrocarbon fluid is introduced into the vacuum until it penetrates the tube about 1 inch. Due to environmental concerns, contemporary thermometers are manufactured less with mercury and more with a spirit-filled hydrocarbon liquid. Thermometers are designed according to predefined standards identified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards) and standard manufacturing practices. Within the regulatory guidelines there are provisions for the custom manufacture of thermometers. Custom thermometers can be as varied as those who use them.

Different sizes exist for the amount, weight, and length of glass used, the type of liquid filled into the glass, the frequency of gradations laid onto the glass tube or enclosure, and even the color of the gradation scale marks. A design engineer will look at the travel limits for the liquid to be used in the thermometer. Once precise limits are established, the dimensions of the glass tube and size of the glass bulb can be determined. Use of electronic components in thermometers has grown. Many of today's broadly used thermometers contain digital readouts and sample program cycles to feed back the current temperature to a light-emitting diode (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. For all the electronic wizardry available, a thermometer must still contain a heat-cold sensitizing element in order to respond to environmental changes. Raw Materials Thermometers consist of three basic elements: spirit-filled liquid, which responds to changes in heat and cold; a glass tube to house the temperature-measuring liquid; and black ink to color in the engraved scale marks with legible numbers.

In addition, other elements are necessary for the manufacture of thermometers, including a wax solution used to engrave the scale marks on the glass tube; an engraving engine that makes permanent gradations on the glass tube; and a hydrofluoric acid solution into which the glass tube is dipped to seal the engraving marks. The glass material forming the body of the thermometer is usually received from an outside manufacturer. Some thermometer products are made with an enclosure, which can be made of plastic or composites and may contain scale gradations as opposed to having these on the glass tube itself. The enclosure also serves to protect and mount the thermometer on a wall, post, or in a weather shelter box. The Manufacturing Process Although there are numerous types of thermometers, the production process for the most common of these—the classic household variety—is described below. The glass bulb 1 First, the raw glass material is received from an outside manufacturer. The tube is made with a fine passage, or bore, throughout its length. The bored tubes are checked for quality; any rejected parts are sent back to the manufacturer for replacement.

2 The bulb reservoir is formed by heating one end of the glass tube, pinching it closed, and using glassblowing and the application of an air-driven torch to complete it. Alternately, the bulb can be made by blowing a separate piece of lab material that is then joined with one end of the glass tube. The bulb is sealed at its bottom, leaving an open tube at the top. Adding the fluid 3 With the open end down in a vacuum chamber, air is then evacuated from the glass tube, and the hydrocarbon fluid is introduced into the vacuum until it penetrates the tube about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Due to environmental concerns, contemporary thermometers are manufactured less with mercury and more with a spirit-filled hydrocarbon liquid. Such a practice is mandated (with tolerance for a limited use of mercury) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The vacuum is then gradually reduced, forcing the fluid down near the top of the tube. The process is the same when mercury is used, except heat is also applied in the vacuum chamber. 4 Once full, the tube is placed upon its bulb end.

A heating-out process is then conducted by placing the thermometer into a warm bath and raising the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Next, the temperature is reduced to room temperature to bring the residual liquid back to a known level. The open end of the thermometer is then sealed by placing it over a flame. Applying the scale 5 After the tube is sealed, a scale is applied based on the level at which the fluid rests when inserted into a water bath of 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) versus one at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). These reference points for the desired scale are marked on the glass tube before engraving or silkscreening is done to fill gradations. 6 The range lengths vary according to the design used. A scale is picked that best corresponds to even marks between the reference points. For accuracy purposes, engraving is the preferred method of marking. The marks are made by an engraving engine after the thermometer is placed in wax. The numbers are scratched onto the glass and, once complete, the thermometer is dipped in hydrofluoric acid to seal the engraved markings. Ink is then rubbed into the marks to highlight the scale values.

When enclosures are used on the scales, a silkscreening process is used to apply the marks. 7 Finally, the thermometers are packaged accordingly and shipped to customers. Quality Control The manufacturing process is controlled by widely adopted industry standards and specific in-house measures. Manufacturing design considerations include quality control checks throughout the production process. The equipment used to perform fabrication tasks must also be carefully maintained, especially with updated design protocol. Waste materials accrued during manufacturing are disposed of according to environmental regulatory standards. During the manufacturing cycle, equipment used to heat, evacuate, and engrave the thermometer must be checked and calibrated regularly. Tolerance tests are also performed, using a known standard, to detennine the accuracy of the temperature readings. All thermometers have a tolerance for accuracy. For the common household, this tolerance is usually plus or minus 2 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius). For laboratory work, plus or minus 1 degree is generally acceptable. The Future Although the longstanding simple glass thermometer is unlikely to change, other thermometer After the bulb reservoir is formed and the liquid inserted, the unit is heated and sealed. Next, the scale markings are added.

This is done using engraving, in which the bulb is dipped in wax, the marks engraved, and the bulb dipped in hydrofluoric acid to seal the marks on the glass. forms continue to evolve. With technological advances and the more widespread use of lighter and stronger materials, manufacturers of electronically integrated temperature instruments can provide more accurate measurements of temperature with minimal equipment bulk and at an affordable price. Analog box thermometers, for example, were once used with a long wire and probe tip for in-ground temperature measurements, among other uses. Today, the probe tips are made of lighter materials, and the boxes, loaded with digital electronics, are not as bulky and square. Looking ahead, further work with the microchip may provide the impetus to fully digitize the temperature measuring process. Also, it may eventually be possible to direct an infrared beam into soil and extract a temperature reading from a target depth without even touching the soil. Where To Learn More Mercury in Home Products Mercury in Home Products What is the Problem with Mercury? Mercury is a highly toxic element that can harm the brain, kidney, and lungs. As the only element or metal that is liquid at room temperature, it is used in many common household products and fixtures.

Mercury can enter our bodies through our lungs and skin, or more commonly, by eating mercury-contaminated fish. To reduce risks to the public and environment, Washington State has passed legislation making it illegal to sell or distribute certain mercury-containing products in Washington, these include thermometers, manometers (blood pressure measuring devices), and novelty items such as toys, games, jewelry, or decorations that contain mercury. (For additional information for businesses, see Mercury in Business .) Fetuses and Children at High Risk Fetuses and children are at the highest risk from mercury, because it keeps their brains and nervous systems from developing normally. Mercury readily crosses the placenta, and concentrates in fetal blood at levels 30 times higher than in the mother. Wildlife such as loons, otters, and other fish-eating creatures are also at risk from mercury poisoning. Mercury Pollution Mercury enters the air, land, and water from many sources. In Washington state, the top three sources from human activities are diesel fuel combustion, coal-fired power plants, and wastewater treatment plants. Municipal and medical waste combustion are also large sources. Mercury does not break down in the environment, it is "persistent" and builds up in the food chain (bioaccumulates).

We add to mercury pollution if we throw a mercury product in the trash or wash it down the drain. Each year, broken fluorescent lamps in Washington release as much as 1,800 pounds of mercury. Thermostats and dental amalgam add an estimated 400 pounds each. Broken thermometers may add up to 300 pounds. Products That May Contain Mercury thermometers (looks like a silvery liquid) thermostats fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps mercurochrome old light-up tennis shoes (pre-1997 LA gear) chemistry sets old fungicides for seeds and turf dental amalgam some imported jewelry (glass ampules with silver liquid) weight/counterweight in grandfather clocks Amount of Mercury in Products 100g to several pounds How You Can Keep Mercury from Rising Avoid Buying Products with Mercury Most products have a mercury-free alternative: Fluorescent bulbs ï¿½ All fluorescent bulbs contain mercury. Some brands may contain less, and may be marked with green endcaps or labeled low-mercury. Fluorescents are still a good choice for reducing mercury in the environment, because their use saves energy.

Coal-fired power plants release a lot more mercury into the environment than broken fluorescent bulbs. Recycle fluorescent bulbs by bringing them to a hazardous waste collection site. Thermometers ï¿½ Most thermometers sold locally are mercury-free. Choices include digital, alcohol (usually a red liquid), solar, and card thermometers. Not sure if your thermometer contains mercury? Look for the SILVER mercury inside - not red, blue, or purple. (Digital thermometers do not contain liquid mercury.) Thermostats ï¿½ The older, round thermostats have a mercury switch inside. You can replace them with a programmable, electric thermostat, which does not contain mercury. Dental fillings ï¿½ The amalgam used for dental fillings can contain 50% mercury, 25% silver, and 25% a mixture of copper, zinc, and tin. Ask your dentist about alternatives. Dispose of Mercury Products Responsibly Take unwanted household products containing mercury to HazoHouse at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center. HazoHouse is open daily. This service is free to households, but businesses must register and pay a fee (call 360-867-2491).

Do not break fluorescent bulbs*; transport them in their original boxes if possible. Place thermometers in their original containers, too, or in two zip-lock plastic bags. Learn to Clean Up Mercury Spills Avoid breathing vapors or touching broken materials. Do not vacuum or sweep. Open windows to vent vapors for at least 15 minutes. Use stiff paper or cardboard to pick up large pieces. Use duct tape to pick up small pieces and powder. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or wet wipe. Place all materials in a sealed container. Wash your hands. Dispose of at HazoHouse ï¿½ not in your trash. When you change a bulb, cover the flooring with a sheet of plastic. Follow Fish consumption Advisories People are often exposed to mercury by eating contaminated fish. The mercury in fish has been converted to methylmercury, which is more toxic than the element found in household products. Unborn children are most at risk from methylmercury poisoning. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has issued fish consumption advisories for Lake Whatcom, Eagle Harbor, Lake Roosevelt, and Sinclair Inlet due to mercury contamination. None of these sites are in Thurston County.

Budd Inlet does have a warning not to harvest seafood due to creosote and other chemicals. When DOH issues a statewide fish advisory. This advisory warns women of childbearing age and children under six not to eat any shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, or tuna steak due to mercury contamination. Guidelines for the amount of canned tuna that women of childbearing age and children under six can safely eat are based on how much a person weighs. For example, a 135 pound young woman should eat less than one 6 ounce can of tuna per week, and a five year old child who weighs about 45 pounds should eat no more than two tablespoons of canned tuna per week. For more information on fish advisories, see the WA State Dept of Health, Fish Facts for Nutritious Health , or call 877-485-7316. More Information Liquid MercuryLiquid Mercury - Muscle tremors; Personality changes. The nerve damage caused by mercury exposure can actually cause paralysis, difficulty in walking, slurred speech and in the most serious cases it can even lead to the death of the patient.

Naturally, symptoms, as well as the health complication developed, are going to vary depending on the level of exposure. To how much mercury and how long is a person exposed are crucial factors in determining the level of poisoning. Source The most sensitive category of individuals, when it comes to exposure to this metal, are children and pregnant women. They should avoid all type of exposure to mercury. This means that they should eliminate all mercury sources from their houses, including mercury thermometers and barometers. In case mercury is spilled, it should be cleaned immediately, with increased care of not entering into contact with the metal or breathing its vapors. The highest risk of developing mercury poisoning is through inhalation. Breathing mercury vapors is simple when a split occurs. Breathing the metal is something that will occur extremely quick and which is highly toxic. In fact, even a small amount of mercury in air can cause serious health problems. This is why, you need to be as careful as possible when handing objects that contain the metal. Source What is mercury? Mercury is a transition metal, found in the same column of the periodic table as metals such as zinc and cadmium. Mercury is liquid at standard conditions of temperature and pressure.

Mercury has the atomic number of 80. It features a relatively massive nucleus. The melting point of mercury is -37.966 degrees Fahrenheit. Mercury is a solid, crystalline metal below this point. Where is mercury found in nature? Mercury is a metal that can be found all around the world. Still, currently China and Kyrgyzstan are the worldwide leaders in mercury production. Mercury has been used since ancient times. It is commonly found in cinnabar, corderoite and livingstonite. Even though mercury found in inert form is harmless, it is important to know that soluble mercury is highly toxic. What are the uses of mercury? Mercury is widely used in industry and medicine. High levels of mercury are found in some fish, as well. Mercury is also found as an ingredient in certain mascara products. The use of mercury in cosmetics industry is quite common, despite the fact that its poisoning potential is widely known. Where can mercury be found in your home? As already mentioned, mercury has numerous uses. There are a wide range of objects in your home that contain mercury, too.

They include button batteries, household switches, paints, household lamps, old toys, pesticides, antiseptics, dental amalgams, blood pressure gauges, as well as barometers and thermometers. How does mercury exposure affect people? Mercury exposure, as well as ingestion and skin contact are extremely dangerous. Mercury can easily travel, drain in water and settle in soil. In can pass toxins to food and lead to poisoning. Patients diagnosed with mercury poisoning should know that this is an extremely serious condition. In the most severe situations, it can actually lead to the death of the patient. What are the symptoms of mercury poisoning? As mercury can be found in some fish, cases of poisoning can be easily diagnosed. There are numerous symptoms that patients are going to experience due to mercury poisoning. The most important ones include tremors, impaired cognitive skills, as well as teeth damage. Exposure to mercury can cause immune system dysfunction, irritability, but in the most severe cases it can also lead to speech and hearing problems, as well as to respiratory issues. How to avoid mercury poisoning? In most cases, mercury poisoning is treatable and it can be completely cured.

However, to avoid the situation of being diagnosed with such a condition, the best idea you can have is to stay away of mercury sources. Now you know which are the objects in which mercury can be found in your home. In case you work in an environment in which mercury is needed, you should have yourself tested regularly, to avoid health complications. Source Even though nowadays many of the uses of mercury that could put in danger people’s health have been replaced, you should know that accidental mercury poisoning can still occur. The most important thing you should keep in mind is that mercury is highly toxic, so when ingested or inhaled it can cause some serious health problems. Still, the great uses of mercury should not be ignored, either. Source 2. Barometers Barometers are known to be able to measure the pressure of the atmosphere. Barometers can be used to predict changes of the weather, being quite similar to thermometers when it comes the way they function. So, barometers are tubes filled with mercury, which in this case react to air pressure. Due to the changes in air pressure, mercury rises or falls. Source 3. Dental amalgams Dental amalgams are commonly used by dentists to fill cavities.

However, the use of mercury for dental related purposes is currently regulated by the FDA. Source 4. Lamps Fluorescent lamps, mercury vapor lamps and sodium lamps use mercury, as well. They can be used anywhere around the house. These lamps are considered to be extremely efficient, this is why they are really popular nowadays. Source As you can imagine, these are just few of the main uses of mercury. For instance, mercury may also be used in the manufacturing process of various equipments. Other mercury uses include usage as a catalyst, in ritual practices, in most ammunition, as well as in electric switchers and at medical schools. Mercury is naturally occuring element found in air, water and soil. It exists in a number of differemnt forms: metallic mercury inorganic mercury compounds organic mercury compounds When it’s dropped, elemental mercury breaks into small droplets. At room temperature, elemntal mercury can evaporate and become invisible and odorless toxic vapor. Exposure and toxicity with mercury can happen when some objects containing mercury can break and expose mercury to the air. Source Mercury compounds can be found in antiseptics, disinfectants, fungicides, make up and traditional medicines. In the nature, mercury is a naturally occuring element.

Unfortunately, human activities have led to increased amounts of mercury in atmosphere, streams and lakes. A person’s health will be harmed depending on the form of mercury: if it’s elemental, inorganic compounds, organic compounds, the amount of mercury, tehnature of exposure, the length of exposure. Source Methylmercury is a compound that removes from the body naturally, but this can be a slow process. Nonetheless, the effects of mercury cannot happen at all, depending on the things mentioned above. If posiosning happens while women are pregnant, they can give birth with severe disabilities. Mercury can also be found in fish, but at the same time, maintaining a healthy diet is containing fish is also important. Source Unfortunately, mercury can be found also in your home, which is very dangerous, mainly if you have kids. The places in your home to look for mercury are the following: As mercury is solid below -38ºC (above -38ºC it melts into a liquid) and boils into a gas when the temperature rises above 356ºC, it means that in your home it would be found in a liquid state.

The next thing you have to do is to inspect products in your home that have or are likely to have mercury inside. The most common objects that contain mercury are the following: thermostats that control heating Mercury - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table Chemistry in its element: mercury (Promo) You're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry. (End promo) Chris Smith Hello! This week, we're exploring the link between mad hatters, mascara, the emperors of China and fishing floats; a strange combination you might say, but probably not as strange as this! Fred Campbell Could a man walk across a swimming pool filled with mercury? Don't ask me how the conversation had reached this point, but being surrounded by friends, who would, it is fair to say, describe themselves as science illiterate, I knew it was up to me, the token scientist around the table, to give the definitive answer. "No." I confidently said, adding rather smugly, "it is nowhere near dense enough." The next morning I was rudely awakened by my ringing mobile; I was wrong!

Elemental mercury, a liquid at room temperature, is 13 times denser than water. Enough it turns out to support a man of average build and yes, if you type man sitting on mercury into Google, you'll quickly find a 1972 photograph, published in National Geographic of a man suited and booted, sat unaided, albeit a little nervously, on top of a tank of rippling mercury. I've been unequivocally proved wrong, but within a fraction of a second, this feeling had been transformed to sheer amazement. Amazement not just at the fact that mercury was so dense it could support a man, but more pressingly that the man in question was very likely giving himself a lethal dose of mercury poisoning in one fatal pose. Surely even in 1972, this kind of activity was seen as an exceptionally bad idea. This of course was not the first time that man has been lowered in by mercury.

With its Greek name, hydrargyrum, literally meaning liquid silver it's perhaps unsurprising that for the last three millennia, civilizations have been transfixed, believing mercury held wondrous physical and spiritual properties, but often those who dabbled reached an unpleasant and mercurial end. The Romans were renowned for using it in cosmetics, often disfiguring their faces in the process. The Egyptians were buried with it to illustrate their civilizations' mining prowess and the ancient Chinese drank lethal Mercury cocktails seeking eternal life and well-being. In deed, Chinese first emperor, Qin Shi Huang is said to have believed so strongly in the magical properties of Mercury that he died seeking immortality by coughing out Mercury and powdered jade, pick-me-up. His tomb yet to be fully unearthed is thought to be surrounded by great rivers of the element and guarded by the 8000 soldiers of the terracotta army. Skipping forward to the 18th Century and for the first time, psychological illnesses were attributed to mercury exposure. The madness of many millionaires was blamed on the extensive use of mercuric nitrate in the hat industry and the phrase mad as a hatter was coined.

The link almost certainly inspired Lewis Carroll to dream up the Mad Hatter, although much debate hangs over whether he is in fact displaying the symptoms of mercury poisoning. From this point on, the hazards of mercury were well documented; but despite its toxicity, it continued to find many uses in everyday applications throughout the last century. To forego reeling off a huge list of weird and wonderful uses for mercury, I would just briefly mention my personal favourite, fishing floats, used to maintain in an regular wobble on the water surface, the mercury float proves so alluring to fish that even now after its use has been globally banned, there is active research to find a replacement to do an equal job. It can still be found swirling around in dentistry, where it is used in amalgam fillings and it remains an important ingredient of many mascaras. But both these sources of mercury are currently under threat. Even the humble thermometer is gradually being phased out to be replaced by alcohol filled digital or thermistor-based instruments.

On one hand, it saddens me to think that mercury will eventually be an elemental artefact sitting hopelessly between gold and thallium in the periodic table, but on the other, it constantly reminds me of the dangers that hide behind the façade of its beautiful silver lustre. As for the man sitting on the vat of mercury, unfortunately I'm still waiting to hear back from National Geographic, for his sake though, we can only hope that he is living a long and healthy life and has not joined the long list of mercury's many victims. Chris Smith Chemistry World's Fred Campbell on the uses and abuses of element number 80, Quick silver, otherwise known as mercury. Here's a taste of what to look forward to next time. Adina Payton The first thing most people think about when this element is mentioned is barium enema or barium swallow, sickly memories often surface off the radiology clinic, where the nice nurse asked you, 'what flavour would you like, strawberry or banana'. Chris Smith A hard act to swallow, you could say, but thankfully a very digestible account of barium. That's coming up with Adina Payton on next week's Chemistry in its element.

I'm Chris Smith, thank you for listening and goodbye! (Promo) Chemistry in its element is brought to you by the Royal Society of Chemistry and produced by thenakedscientists.com . There's more information and other episodes of Chemistry in its element on our website at chemistryworld.org/elements . (End Promo) General Chemistry/Chemistries of Various Elements/Transition Metals - Wikibooks, open books for an open world General Chemistry/Chemistries of Various Elements/Transition Metals From Wikibooks, open books for an open world Transition Metals[ edit ] The transition metals are found in the middle of the periodic table . There are two definitions of transition metals: All d-block elements (Groups 3-12) Elements with partially occupied d-orbitals or that can form cations with partially occupied d-orbitals The first definition is more common and is used casually, but the second definition emphasizes the unique properties of transition metals and is the one used by IUPAC (The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry). The second definition is commonly considered to exclude Zn, Cd and Hg because these elements have a d10 electronic configuration (the d-orbitals being fully, not partially, occupied).

However, recently reported fluoride Hg(IV) compounds, which have a d8 configuration put this exemption into doubt and make it reasonable to consider Hg (and possibly Zn and Cd too) as transition metals. Transition metals behave differently than other metals because of their partially occupied d-orbitals. Adding electrons to a transition metal does not affect its valence shell because the electrons go into the d-orbital (which is not part of the valence shell). All transition metals have one or two valence electrons. Electrons and Oxidation[ edit ] Transition metals are interesting because they can have several oxidation states , unlike most other metals. This happens because the transition metals can lose their d electrons in addition to their s electrons when forming ions. The solid dots show common oxidation states, and the hollow dots show possible but unlikely states. Remember that an electron orbital is most stable when it is full or half-full (or empty). Studying the electron configurations of the transition metals shows an interesting pattern: Sc: Zn: [Ar]4s23d10 To be more stable, an s-electron "jumps up" to the d-orbital in chromium and copper.

This also occurs in in heavier transition metals like molybdenum, tungsten, and platinum. With heavier transition metals in Periods 5, 6, and 7, the effects of relativity cause changes in the energy levels of the orbitals. In those elements, s-electrons "jump up" to d-shells more often than expected with the full/half-full rule. When ions of the transition metals form, they lose their s-electrons first, then they lose their d-electrons if further ionized. For example, copper can form two different ions, and titanium can form three: Cu: Colors[ edit ] Transition metals and their oxides, when dissolved, form colored compounds. Group 1 and 2 metals are clear when dissolved and white when precipitated. Other metals, like lead, are clear when dissolved and may have color when precipitated (lead precipitates are yellow). Transition metals, on the other hand, are colored when dissolved. Different metals are known for their specific colors, finding use as inks or paints.

Left to right: cobalt(II) nitrate (red); potassium dichromate (orange); potassium chromate (yellow); nickel(II) chloride (green); copper(II) sulfate (blue); potassium permanganate (purple). Coinage Metals[ edit ] The "coinage metals" are copper , silver , gold , and roentgenium . These elements are used for much more than just coins, and many other elements besides these are made into coins. Furthermore, roentgenium is radioactive with a half-life of 3.6 seconds, making it useless for commercial applications. Consequently, the "coinage metals" are more appropriately called Group 11 (IB) elements. Copper, silver, and gold, although relatively rare (copper), rare (silver), or extremely rare (gold), are among the longest-known and most familiar elements. They are soft, shiny, dense metals resistant to corrosion and very good conductors of electricity. Roentgenium, a recently discovered synthetic element, is so short-lived that its physical and chemical properties are ill-defined.

Copper is by far the most heavily used of these elements due to its electrical properties, its commonness (contrasted to silver and gold) and the attractiveness of its alloys brass and bronze. Until aluminum became commonplace, copper was second only to iron in production among the metals. Copper pipes Silver, the shiniest Gold They are easy to identify when found because copper (reddish) and gold (yellow) are the only two colored metals that people are likely to encounter. Silver is the shiniest of metals, and it is usually found in the presence of copper or gold and gives an obvious contrast. They are often found uncombined. Because of their softness they are easily struck as coins, and their comparative rarity and attractiveness, along with their resistance to corrosion make them compact stores of wealth. They are too soft to have structural value, but copper alloys with such elements as zinc and tin to form harder brasses and bronzes. Brass and bronze were essential in the earliest metal tools; without them, civilization as we know would be impossible. Gold and silver, due to their attractiveness and their resistance to oxidation, have been used heavily in jewelry and other ornamental works.

Gold, although extremely expensive, is so malleable that at modest cost a small amount can be pounded into a foil of extreme thinness that allows it to be used as a covering of some architectural objects; a little gold goes a long way. Copper oxidizes with some difficulty to the +1 state in halides and an oxide and to the +2 state in salts such as copper sulfate CuSO4. Soluble copper compounds are easily identified by their distinctive blue-green color. Silver oxidizes to the +1 state in such substances as silver nitrate AgNO3 and silver sulfide Ag2S, the latter the typical blackening of silver. Gold oxidizes to the +1 and +3 state with great difficulty. These elements are poor (copper) to extremely-poor (gold) reducing agents and their compounds are very good oxidizing agents. Copper ions oxidize most metals: Cu 2 + {\displaystyle {\hbox{Cu}}_{(aq)}^{2+}+{\hbox{Fe}}_{(s)}\to {\hbox{Cu}}_{(s)}+{\hbox{Fe}}_{(aq)}^{2+}} The reaction is even stronger with either silver or gold.

In effect a solution of one of these metals' salts plates most other metals. Silver is most electrically conductive metal, followed by copper then gold. This makes copper a favorite material for electrical wires. Gold-tipped wires are employed in situations that need electrical precision (like high-quality audio) because gold will not tarnish (the tarnish of copper is much less conductive). Zinc Family[ edit ] The Zinc Family is Group 12 (IIB) and consists of zinc , cadmium , mercury , and copernicum . Zinc, cadmium, and mercury are metals with low melting points for metals. This is because they have an especially stable electron configuration. Mercury is so poor at forming metallic bonds that it is liquid at room temperature. A zinc coin Cadmium pieces A puddle of mercury Zinc and cadmium are soft metals that easily oxidize to the +2 oxidation state. Neither of these two metals appears uncombined in nature. Zinc is heavily used in alloys with copper to create a harder metal known as brass; as a coating for iron (the process is called "galvanizing"), it oxidizes to form a protective layer of zinc oxide (ZnO) that protects the iron from oxidation, also known as rust.

Zinc oxide is much safer than lead oxide and is often used in white paint. Since 1982, zinc has been the main metal used in American pennies. It is now used in new organ pipes. Cadmium forms two substances, cadmium yellow (cadmium sulfide, CdS) and cadmium red (cadmium selenide, CdSe) that appeared in paints. These paints had strong colors that many of the great artists of the Impressionist periods cherished in their paintings. But these substances are very poisonous, and painters who used them often died young and crippled. Modern painters ordinarily use different paints that do not use these two poisonous chemicals. Mercury, in contrast, is a shiny liquid at room temperature and oxidizes with some difficulty. It conducts electricity well. Because it is liquid it is an unusual metal—but it is a metal. It has been used in thermometers (but not so often after it has been identified as a dangerous poison) because it expands with heat and in switches where it can flow into a closed space to close a circuit.

Mercury oxidizes to the +2 state in mercuric chloride (HgCl2); in some strange compounds, two mercury atoms share an electron and offer their "spare" electrons to form substances in the +1 state, such as mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2). Zinc is an essential trace element for living things; it has some germicidal properties and is toxic (poisonous) in large quantities. Zinc pennies should never be swallowed. Cadmium, mercury, and their compounds are very dangerous poisons. Although mercury is attractive and has remarkable properties, it should be used with extreme care, and only by workers who have appropriate knowledge of its hazards. The artificial Element 112 named copernicum in 2010 is probably part of this group in its properties, but it is extremely difficult to produce and too unstable to have a well-defined chemistry. Few atoms of this element have ever been made.

The elements of Groups 8, 9, and 10 are in two distinct groups: the common elements iron, cobalt, and nickel of the upper row of transition metals and the platinum metals of the second and third rows, and the far-scarcer platinum metals of the two lower rows of transition elements. Iron, cobalt, and nickel[ edit ] These elements are fairly-good reducing agents -- so good that they rarely appear uncombined in nature. Iron is by far the most common of these. One of the most common elements in the universe, it is the heaviest metal that forms in normal fusion in stars (but only the largest stars). Once a star begins to produce iron in its core, that star is doomed in short order to a violent explosion that destroys the star and scatters its matter, including all of the elements that it has formed in fusion. Uncombined iron, cobalt, and nickel -- but especially iron -- are to be found in meteors, solid objects that strike the earth. Iron is by far the most common of the transition elements, and one of the most useful. It's hard to count all the uses of iron, the metal most used (whether pure or in alloys) in almost all machines.

Giant "glass box" skyscrapers depend upon iron bars within their concrete "skeletons" to give them strength and stability. The rails of railroads are long iron bars. Concrete highways and airstrips have iron re-enforcing bars to give them the strength to hold heavy vehicles. The vehicles themselves are largely iron and a harder material known as steel, an alloy of iron, carbon, and often metals other than iron. Iron is the cheapest of all structural metals. With some skill of an artisan known as a blacksmith it can be worked into many useful objects such as horseshoes, nails, plows, chains, pails, ladders, and many tools. In foundries, iron and steel are shaped in far greater quantities into such objects as furniture and parts of aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, and appliances. Iron has one fault as a structural material: it rusts easily.

In the presence of water (especially salt water) it corrodes into oxides: Fe(s) + 1/2 O2(g) → FeO(s) 2 Fe(s) + 3/2 O2(g) → Fe2O3(s) and a mixed oxide known as hematite 2 Fe(s) + 3/2 O2(g) → Fe2O3(s) one of the most common ores of iron. Iron oxides are mildly alkaline, so iron resists attacks by alkalis; acids attack it. For example, Fe (s) + H2SO4(l) → Fe2+(aq) + SO42-(aq) + H2(g) Even a comparatively weak acid, like phosphoric acid, can attack iron oxide.

This is the "naval jelly" reaction that removes rust from iron: FeO(s) + H3PO4(l) → Fe2+(aq) + HPO4(aq)-2 + H2O(l) A great advance of humanity, the beginning of the Iron Age, began when people found that they could separate iron from oxygen by burning it with carbon (usually charcoal) which can reduce iron oxides to iron: Fe3O4(s) + 4 C(s) → 3 Fe(s) + 4 CO(g) Much of existing economic activity depends upon the extraction of iron ore, the reduction of iron ore to iron, the strengthening of iron to steel, the creation of iron and steel objects, and the various practices used in protecting iron from corrosion. Important as that activity is, our lives would be impossible without an important compound of iron known as hemoglobin which carries oxygen through the bloodstream to cells where the cells can use the oxygen to release energy from food also delivered to cells through the bloodstream. two suspension bridges red blood cells contain hemoglobin an electromagnet attracting scrap iron The earth itself has a hot, dense core of largely iron and nickel.

At the temperatures characteristic of the Earth's core the iron and nickel form a giant natural magnet that creates a magnetic field that goes beyond the Earth itself into the atmosphere. That magnetic field drives off much dangerous radiation that would kill life on the Earth's surface if it reached the Earth's surface. Cobalt and nickel are both far scarcer than iron and not as extensively used in commerce as iron, although they have specialized uses. Platinum Family[ edit ] The Platinum group metals are ruthenium , rhodium , palladium , osmium , iridium , and platinum . These elements are found in the second two rows of Groups 8/9/10 (IIIB). Unlike their lighter counterparts in Groups 8, 9, and 10 of these elements are resistant to corrosion and tarnish. They serve as catalysts for many chemical reactions, speeding up the reaction without being consumed by it. Palladium, osmium, and the other platinum group metals absorb hydrogen when powdered. Rhodium is used in catalytic converters—metallic structures found inside vehicles.

Catalytic converters convert nitric oxides (which are toxic pollutants) into elemental nitrogen and oxygen (both of which make up breathable air): 2 Mercury: Element of the Ancients - Dartmouth Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program Mercury: Element of the Ancients The Promise of Power Intriguing because of its silver hue and liquid state at room temperature, elemental mercury was known to the ancient Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Hindus. Each civilization had its own legends about mercury, and it was used as everything from a medicine to a talisman. Mercury's chemical symbol, Hg, comes from the Greek "hydrargyrum" meaning liquid silver. Mercury is also known as "quicksilver," a reference to its mobility. Speed and mobility were characteristics of the Roman god, Mercury, who served as a messenger to all the other gods and shared his name with the planet nearest the sun. The symbol for the planet was used by the alchemists to identify mercury before it was given its more modern chemical notation. Although mercury's mystique held the promise of power, many of the ancients also knew it to be toxic.

It was in the mining of the element where mercury first became associated with human illness beginning as tremors and progressing to severe mental derangement. The largest natural source of mercury is cinnabar, its only known ore, and the richest deposits are found in Spain and Italy. This reddish mineral containing mercury and sulfur has been used as a pigment since prehistoric times. Cinnabar dating from 500 BC has been identified at a Mayan site in Guatemala, and prehistoric skulls painted with cinnabar have been found in Italy. The Romans used their mercury mines as penal institutions for criminals, slaves, and other undesirables. The warders were among the first to recognize that there was a high likelihood that the prisoners would become poisoned and spare the keepers the need for formal executions. Mercury is primarily a neurological poison, causing tremors, extreme mood changes, and eventually loss of hearing and restricted vision. Certain forms of mercury poisoning also cause damage to the liver and kidneys. The life span of a worker in those mines was tragically brief. From Mercury to Gold? In the ancient art of alchemy, mercury, sulfur, and salt were the Earth's three principle substances.

The Hindu word for alchemy is "Rasasiddhi", meaning "knowledge of mercury." Believing that mercury was at the core of all metals, alchemists supposed that gold, silver, copper, tin, lead and iron were all mixtures of mercury and other substances. While alchemists in different cultures had different beliefs, one of the central themes to European alchemy was the belief that the correct combination of mercury and other ingredients would yield riches of gold. The Roman emperor Diocletian (245-313) issued an edict in the late 3rd century calling for the destruction of all written works dealing with alchemy. Diocletian feared that artificially created gold would debase the value of the Roman currency and allow alchemists to amass huge fortunes with which they could bribe officials and gain power. Chinese alchemist - Ko Hung False Promises of Longevity and Health The line between alchemy and medicine was not always clear. In 2nd century China, the study of mercury centered on a search for an elixir of life to confer longevity or immortality.

The prominent Chinese alchemist Ko Hung, who lived in the 4th century, believed that man is what he eats, and so by eating gold he could attain perfection. Yet, he reasoned, a true believer was likely to be poor, and so it was necessary to find a substitute for the precious metal. This, in his estimation, could be accomplished by making gold from cinnabar. Ko Hung's other uses for cinnabar included smearing it on the feet to enable a person to walk on water, placing it over a doorway to ward off thieves, and combining it with raspberry juice to enable elderly men to beget children. In the era before antibiotics, sexually-transmitted diseases were deadly. Some scholars believe that syphilis was the most critical medical problem of the first half of the 16th century. A great number of printed works dealing with syphilis first appeared at the end of the 15th century when it was known by such names as "morbus gallicius," "the French disease," "the pox," and "lues venera." In the desperate search for a cure, it was almost inevitable that various forms of mercury would be tried. Indeed, the treatment appeared to benefit some patients.

While it is unclear whether mercury actually did cure syphilis (some cases of the disease resolve spontaneously), the use of mercury therapy continued into the early 20th century. Mercury and Hatters The felt hat industry has been traced to the mid-17th century in France, and it was probably introduced into England some time around 1830. A story passed down in the hat industry gives this account of how mercury came to be used in the process: In Turkey camel hair was used for felt material, and it was discovered that the felting process was speeded up if the fibers were moistened with camel urine. It is said that in France workmen used their own urine, but one particular workman seemed consistently to produce a superior felt. This person was being treated with a mercury compound for syphilis, and an association was made between mercury treatment of the fibers and an improved felt. Danbury Hat Factory Eventually the use of solutions of mercuric nitrate was widespread in the felt industry, and mercury poisoning became endemic. Danbury, Connecticut, an important center of America's hat-making industry until men's hats went out of fashion in the 1960s, developed its own reputation for madness.

Regionally, the "Danbury shakes" were a commonly recognized series of ailments. On December 1, 1941 the United States Public Health Service banned the use of mercury in the felt industry in this country. Although it has been suggested that the expression "mad as a hatter" and the character portrayed in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland may have other origins other than mercurialism among hatters, few can resist making this apocryphal analogy. Mercury in the Aquatic Food Web In nature mercury can be found in several forms. It can be converted from one form to another by natural processes. For example, when the elemental mercury released in emissions from coal-burning power plants or waste incinerators is deposited on lakes and streams it can be converted to inorganic mercury and then to organic forms by microorganisms. Some forms of mercury are particularly potent poisons. In 1958 a unique illness began to be recognized in the area around Minamata Bay, on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Sixty-eight people died while 397 others exhibited neurological problems. The highest rate of illness was among fishermen and their families.

It turned out that chemical industries around the bay had been discharging inorganic mercury wastes into the waters, where anaerobic bacteria in the detritus on the floor of the bay converted the inorganic mercury into methylmercury. The methylmercury became concentrated as it was passed along natural food webs. It found its way into fish and shellfish that were consumed by people living around the bay. Scientists estimated that biomagnification in food chains may have been as high as a millionfold. Methylmercury produces a much more devastating human illness than inorganic mercury, affecting primarily the central nervous system with many neurologic disturbances including paralysis, "tunnel vision" and blindness. There is no effective antidote as there is for inorganic mercury salts, nor are there any truly efficacious means for hastening its excretion from the body. Unfortunately, methylmercury is also very dangerous to a developing fetus. Offspring exposed in utero, if they survive, may have an irreversible affliction resembling cerebral palsy. Experimentally, methylmercury has been shown to cause mutations in DNA as well. Since the Japanese community lived on locally caught fish, the problem was limited to a relatively small area and population, and the problem came to light quickly.

While the local people were exposed to high levels, the contamination was not widespread beyond this region. Japanese officials were reluctant to publicize this incident, however, which might have prevented the occurrence of other episodes in subsequent years. A very similar poisoning, leaving 13 dead and 330 affected, took place in 1965 around Niigata, Japan, on the island of Honshu. There are a number of populations in the world that consume large amounts of mercury-contaminated fish, such as the indigenous populations of Cree and Inuit Native Americans living in the province of eastern Quebec, Canada. Some of these communities were displaced in a huge project to develop hydroelectric power. During the James Bay project by Hydro-Québec, the rerouting of rivers and massive flooding of previously dry lands mobilized environmental mercury that had always been in the soil. Bacterial action transformed some of that pool into methylmercury, which began to accumulate in natural food chains. Freshwater fish are a dietary staple for these native populations. The provincial government has instituted hair analysis programs to monitor exposure. Methylmercury is also found in saltwater fish, again posing a dilemma to public health officials.

The health benefits of even modest fish consumption are well known, particularly in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, so there is a delicate balance between achieving those benefits and the risk of too much mercury exposure. The Native American populations of Quebec consume fish primarily during the summer months, and the mercury content of their hair reflects peak concentrations during the summer and lower concentrations during the winter. In contrast, populations that depend on ocean fish as their main source of protein tend to have relatively stable elevated levels of mercury in their hair. Fortunately, limited studies in both types of consumers suggest that they are not exhibiting even the most subtle signs of poisoning. Studies of wildlife have come to different conclusions, however. In Maine and New Hampshire there is evidence that loons have experienced reproductive and immune problems due to cumulative poisoning from eating mercury-contaminated fish. A Mass Poisoning In 1971-72, a major epidemic occurred in Iraq in which 6,530 persons were hospitalized and almost 500 died. In a well-intentioned humane response to famine, several nations shipped wheat grain intended for planting to Iraq. The seeds had been treated with a methylmercury-containing fungicide to hold down mold growth and preserve the viability of the seeds.

The seeds were also dyed red to serve as a warning, and attempts were made to inform the natives of the hazards of eating the seeds directly. Unfortunately, the warnings on the bags were in Spanish, because some of the grain had originated in Mexico, and the skull and crossbones, recognized by westerners as meaning poison, meant nothing to the Iraqis. In the face of starvation many families milled the seeds directly into flour, and made and consumed the contaminated bread. There would have been no danger in eating grain grown from the treated seeds, because the subsequent crop would contain little or no methylmercury. The population of the United States has been fortunate in avoiding mass poisonings in the past, but there was one isolated series of cases in 1970 involving a single family in Almagordo, New Mexico. The father worked in a seed store, which supplied local farmers, and he maintained a few pigs at home. He noticed a significant amount of wastage in the form of spilled seed grain at the store, and he began sweeping it up to feed to his pigs. Within a short time his pigs became obviously ill.

Fearful of the loss of his investment, the father had them butchered, and he froze the meat for the use of his family. Three of them were eventually poisoned severely. Twenty-two years after this incident all surviving members of the family were carefully examined and tested. In this interim the two youngest children had died, and autopsy and toxicological findings were available from one of these. Both were left in a vegetative state until their deaths. Some recovery did occur in the older children, but the visual defects, including blindness in one and constricted visual fields in the other, did not improve. Neither parent showed signs of poisoning, although both were exposed. Toxicological studies suggested that methylmercury, which readily crosses the blood-brain-barrier, is converted to inorganic mercury in the brain. Since inorganic mercury does not readily cross biological membranes, it is effectively trapped in the brain, but it is not clear which of the two species is responsible for the brain pathology. The use of methylmercury as a fungicide has been suspended in the United States, and since this was the only commercial use for the chemical, it is no longer manufactured in this country.

It is, however, still found in the environment as a result of bacterial methylation of inorganic mercury. The Ubiquitous Thermometer Throughout the 20th-century, mercury has been useful in a number of everyday items  alkaline batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, electrical switches, scientific and medical devices and the ubiquitous thermometer. Thermometers contain the less toxic elemental form of mercury and have almost never been a safety issue in peoples' homes. However, in the 1970s and '80s, workers at the Staco thermometer plant in Poultney, Vermont, began to notice a common series of health problemsheadaches, bleeding or sore gums, upset digestive systems, and coordination problems. Upon investigation, mercury was detected in the air of workers' homes, on their clothing and furniture, and most tragically, in the bodies of many workers and their children. This was the first time in which the children of mercury-handling workers were proven to have been affected. The plant closed in 1984. Several plant workers have since settled lawsuits with the company for undisclosed sums.

Another lawsuit brought against the company by the town of Poultney and the state of Vermont was settled in September of 1991. Staco paid $289,000 to the town of Poultney for costs related to the clean-up of the town's water treatment plant. As part of a goal to eliminate mercury from medical equipment, some communities have sponsored thermometer exchanges. For example, at a one-day event in 1999, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire exchanged approximately 800 mercury thermometers brought in by staff for digital, non-mercury thermometers. Mercury Tragedy at Dartmouth Karen Wetterhahn, Ph.D. Mercury caused a tragic incident in Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1997. The story of Dartmouth College Chemistry professor Karen E. Wetterhahn made national headlines when mercury poisoning claimed her life at the age of 48. Wetterhahn, a specialist in toxic metals, was poisoned in her lab by a few drops of the rare, extremely toxic compound dimethylmercury which accidentally penetrated her protective glove.

Dimethylmercury, a colorless liquid, is a synthetic compound used almost exclusively as a reference standard in a particular type of specialized chemical analysis. Ironically, Wetterhahn was investigating the toxic properties of another metal, cadmium, and was merely using the dimethylmercury as a reference for her instrumentation when she was poisoned. While the accidental spill occurred in August of 1996, symptoms of her mercury poisoning were not detected until six months later, at which time the illness was irreversible. Wetterhahn became suddenly ill in January of 1997 and was hospitalized. She rapidly went into a coma and died that June. As a result of her tragedy, safety standards for gloves and other protective equipment were revised, and a movement began to eliminate production and use of this most deadly form of mercury. Article by: Julie Sloane, Science Writer Supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program Contact Us | Current location: home > mercury > history.html (58/51) This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. | Page updated Jul 26 2016 2:05PM

Question: What element is commonly found inside thermometers?
Answer: Mercury