Re: Mercury spills

["L. R. Cartwright (Larry)" <physics@SCNC.CPS.K12.MI.US>]

The following information is from the aforementioned Flinn Scientific Inc
catalog, a source of safety techniques as well as a place to buy supplies
(PO Box 219, Batavia IL 60510, 800-452-1261, flinnsci@aol.com). They have
chemists on staff; their suggestions are the result of tests and
experiments:

"A commonly practiced method utilizes sulfur powder as a treatment for
mercury spills.  Tests have shown that sulfur has little or no value in
creating mercury sulfide.  Mercury sulfide would be safer than than
mercury metal but sulfur simply does not work.

"Zinc metal dust does react with elemental mercury to form a very safe
amalgam.  The amalgam formed is more easily collected and disposed of
than elemental mercury.  If the mercury is 'dirty' with dust and dirt,
the liklihood of the zinc amalgam being formed is reduced."

(Au or Ag dust amalgamates with Hg like crazy; maybe try that? :-) )

Their suggestions:

1.  Ventilate
2.  Don't sweep, and certainly don't vacuum!
3.  Protect yourself - gloves, plastic bags over shoes, etc.
4.  Be prepared to discard everything that comes into contact with Hg
5.  Push visible droplets into larger pools
6.  Look for "hidden" droplets on vertical surfaces, undersides of
    benches and shelves, etc.
7.  Pick up pools with a closed device such as medicine dropper
    or closed bulb-form dropping pipet.
8.  Deal with invisible residue: zinc powder, Mercon kit, etc.

Practically every chem supply house offers some sort of "mercury cleanup
kit" that includes scrapers, scoops, droppers, sponges, wipes, etc.

BTW you can rent a special "mercury vacuum cleaner" that is sent by
overnight air, you use it for one day and ship it back.  Rental is $100; I
would guess shipping could run over $100-$200 ???

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright
Physics, Physical Science, Internet Teacher
Charlotte High School, 378 State Street, Charlotte MI 48813
<physics@scnc.cps.k12.mi.us> or <science@scnc.cps.k12.mi.us>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Wed, 5 May 1999, Glenn A. Carlson wrote:

> The discussion regarding the repair and maintenance of mercury
> barometers is very interesting, and the discussion regarding safe
> handling of mercury is especially so.
>
> What is the best method to clean up spilled mercury?  A chemist
> suggested to me that I sprinkle powdered sulfur over the spilled
> mercury.  The sulfur and mercury react to form mercurous sulfide which
> can be swept up with a broom.  Does anyone else have any other ideas?