Chronology | Current Month | Current Thread | Current Date |
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] | [Date Index] [Thread Index] | [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] | [Date Prev] [Date Next] |
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? :-) )
....
Larry Cartwright