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Mercury
- Thread starter Ian Moss
- Start date
KeeponDragon
no problems... just challenges
My Dad reclaimed some from a couple of old thermostats...I think he had ambitions of using it in a fishing lure...
It's thankfully, safe on a shelf, in his old workshed...
that stuff is pretty dangerous if mishandled
It's thankfully, safe on a shelf, in his old workshed...
that stuff is pretty dangerous if mishandled
As kids we used to play w/ the stuff. Perhaps that explains my...twitch.
skippyelwell
Ultra Member
Same here, we use to roll it around in the palm of our hands.
Are there any uses for it other than mining gold?
Years ago, Bob, a jokester in grade four dropped about 4 fluid ounces of mercury on the classroom floor and made sure it went all over. We had a blast corraling it all with teacher freaking out.
Ironman
Ultra Member
I used mercury in gold recovery, but before I did, I spoke with the professor at U of A Electro-chemical department. He said it is about as dangerous as carbon dioxide. This was long before they invented global warming. He said that in large quantities the vapours are dangerous and will accumulate in any organism. He said that the good news is that Mercury has very low vapour pressure. He said his students had documented that even a pinch of dust on top of mercury will stop any vapours and any container with a lid is good.
We discussed how I was going to use it and he gave me some pointers. We use many things in our world that are deemed terrible by some others, and we do it safely.
I remember as a kid, that hearing aid batteries, the ones in your shirt pocket, had a battery with a drop of mercury inside. We used to go begging old batteries from old guys and crack them open to get the mercury. A favorite was to coat a penny with it, and try to pass it as a nickel to buy candy. Sometime it worked...
We discussed how I was going to use it and he gave me some pointers. We use many things in our world that are deemed terrible by some others, and we do it safely.
I remember as a kid, that hearing aid batteries, the ones in your shirt pocket, had a battery with a drop of mercury inside. We used to go begging old batteries from old guys and crack them open to get the mercury. A favorite was to coat a penny with it, and try to pass it as a nickel to buy candy. Sometime it worked...
Ummm, hate to jump in here, but perhaps a little extra info might be helpful? I’m not a chemist, nor do I know much about industrial uses and precautions, but do know a bit about human toxicology.
Inorganic mercury such as bound in rocks or elemental is not as dangerous as organic. Yes it can be leached after hydro dams go in, but the danger is mainly from low levels of mercury in newly formed lakes being bioamplified over time in generations of fish and subsequently eaten by humans. Ocean tuna is also a recognized exposure risk for humans and should be enjoyed only once a week- less if at all in a pregnant woman.
Much more concerning is any form of organic mercury, one of which is so toxic that one drop on skin is lethal. And inhalation of vapours or oral exposure can form organic mercury compounds given extended time of exposure.
A Professor in an electro chemical department isn’t the one who has the necessary expertise to comment. You really need a clinical chemist, or better yet a toxicologist.
Mercury does slowly release a vapor which is absorbed and accumulates in your body. Clean up after a spill even of an old thermometer is wise. Unfortunately testing of mercury level in a human isn’t that helpful as there will be a small baseline amount of mercury in everyone, and it’s the chronic accumulation that affects nerves in particular. Effects from most exposures take awhile to occur. (Exceptions being dimethyl mercury and some other organic forms) Suggest looking up Minamata disease if you really want to scare yourself. Nerve and brain damage is no joke.
In toxicology the dose is key. Drinking enough tap water can kill, C02 can easily be fatal, and yes, mercury in the wrong form or dose is dangerous as hell.
This is not meant as a sky is falling, the world is ending commentary, just a suggestion to do some reading on effects of mercury on your health.
Edited for clarity, and spelling (should have put readers on!)
Inorganic mercury such as bound in rocks or elemental is not as dangerous as organic. Yes it can be leached after hydro dams go in, but the danger is mainly from low levels of mercury in newly formed lakes being bioamplified over time in generations of fish and subsequently eaten by humans. Ocean tuna is also a recognized exposure risk for humans and should be enjoyed only once a week- less if at all in a pregnant woman.
Much more concerning is any form of organic mercury, one of which is so toxic that one drop on skin is lethal. And inhalation of vapours or oral exposure can form organic mercury compounds given extended time of exposure.
A Professor in an electro chemical department isn’t the one who has the necessary expertise to comment. You really need a clinical chemist, or better yet a toxicologist.
Mercury does slowly release a vapor which is absorbed and accumulates in your body. Clean up after a spill even of an old thermometer is wise. Unfortunately testing of mercury level in a human isn’t that helpful as there will be a small baseline amount of mercury in everyone, and it’s the chronic accumulation that affects nerves in particular. Effects from most exposures take awhile to occur. (Exceptions being dimethyl mercury and some other organic forms) Suggest looking up Minamata disease if you really want to scare yourself. Nerve and brain damage is no joke.
In toxicology the dose is key. Drinking enough tap water can kill, C02 can easily be fatal, and yes, mercury in the wrong form or dose is dangerous as hell.
This is not meant as a sky is falling, the world is ending commentary, just a suggestion to do some reading on effects of mercury on your health.
Edited for clarity, and spelling (should have put readers on!)
Last edited:
Ironman
Ultra Member
The professor was recommended because of the usage in his department. I would rather listen to them that's doing.
But I have no disagreement with your cautions, and I have broken my cat's heart because I won't feed him tuna any more, because a small body can accumulate a damaging percentage faster than a large human.
I went from incandescent lights to leds and bypassed the 'green' mercury vapor lights that would save the environment as well.
But I have no disagreement with your cautions, and I have broken my cat's heart because I won't feed him tuna any more, because a small body can accumulate a damaging percentage faster than a large human.
I went from incandescent lights to leds and bypassed the 'green' mercury vapor lights that would save the environment as well.
Like most here, I played with the stuff as a child (the dentist used to pour a bit in your hand to play with). I had a couple of pounds I was hoarding for some future project when I started to get nervous about the degree of hysteria society is moving to. I ended up taking mine up to the local hazardous waste drop off (Hartland Rd.) The Millennial behind the counter turned a bit white and VERY carefully carried it to the back room. Turns out somebody had dropped a similar amount in the parking lot a few months earlier. Ended up costing them $60,000 to bring in a hepa vacuum contractor from Vancouver to dig / clean it up. Validated my concern about getting rid of it before somebody tried to make me pay for a similar cleanup.
Brian
Brian
I did the same. I collected mercury and PCB oil from old transformers. I used both for all kinds of things, got it all over me at times, didn't have any idea that both could kill you from 5 miles away just by looking in that direction.
I vividly remember the time they tore up 50km of the TransCanada cuz a transport truck carrying old transformers leaked a bit of oil on the highway. A few folks following the truck became millionaires overnight.
The truth about PCBs never did see the light of day. It wasn't PCBs in rice that killed those folks in Japan after all, the medical studies showed it was actually another substance also in the rice. But the damage was done and no government in the world would admit the error. The documentation was buried and to this day, PCBs are blamed and they are still banned. Another international government cover up.
Mercury is a whole nuther matter.
Agreed with one caveat. People don't get to talk to toxicologists in any format that conveys reason or facts. Instead, the average person listens to politicians, the media, and radicals who always seem to prey on the natural human fear response. I'd prefer to talk to any professor in the sciences than the sources readily available to us. A great read is a book called "Risk - The science and politics of fear" by Dan Gardener. We are evolved to be afraid. Most often unreasonably and irrationally afraid. The media and government love to use our fear to control us.
But yes, I tend to avoid organic mercury too. I like tuna but I only eat it once a month at best. Same goes for other large predatory fish. So point very well taken.
Still, I'd love some liquid mercury to play with and I'd be first in line for some PCB oil from an old transformer.
It was a fantastic light machine oil that worked great in the kind of stuff I used as a kid. Was it as good as the correct oil? No. But I didn't have a car and getting oil anyplace nearby was almost impossible. So I used what I had. It worked!
TorontoBuilder
Sapientia et Doctrina Stabilitas
I too used to roll mercury around in my hand as a child.... as did many of my generation.
When I worked in havc I used to collect old thermostats to retrieve the mercury for proper disposal and recyling (for a fee). I had more than a few mercury switches break and spill their contents.
The thing is, it is about accumulation due to exposure. Did you break a thermometer just once and roll mercury around or more often... I'd hazard that most members here have a number of health issues. How many can say their health issues are not attributed to exposure to any number of hazards in their lives, I assure you that at least some are, cuz ya'll have been just as incautious as I have over the years.
My only regret is that workplace safety practices will allow future generations to live longer healthier lives when they dont deserve it
When I worked in havc I used to collect old thermostats to retrieve the mercury for proper disposal and recyling (for a fee). I had more than a few mercury switches break and spill their contents.
The thing is, it is about accumulation due to exposure. Did you break a thermometer just once and roll mercury around or more often... I'd hazard that most members here have a number of health issues. How many can say their health issues are not attributed to exposure to any number of hazards in their lives, I assure you that at least some are, cuz ya'll have been just as incautious as I have over the years.
My only regret is that workplace safety practices will allow future generations to live longer healthier lives when they dont deserve it
Ironman
Ultra Member
I love your points, but as far as pcb oil can't help, But...how many pounds of mercury do you want?
It was really just my way of saying that I am not afraid of it. If we lived in the same city, I'd take a pound or so. As it is, they would lock us both up just for shipping it.