Australia's Science Forum

Hi everyone
Curious to know what procedures you have in place and/or kits you use, should you have an accident with mercury. Have you had to used them?
Rita[sub][/sub]

Hi Rita
We don't use Mercury at all and even we replaced all mercury thermometers with spirit ones and kept some 300 degrees for teachers use only. but in case of any accident I use sulphur and also I have a mercury collector kit (which mostly contains sulphur). just sprinkle some sulphur powder over the mercury and stay for 1-2 hours and the collect them and keep them in a labled bottle.
Hope that helps.
Marjan

hi
read this
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmen ... ercury.pdf

Hi All,

In my experiences with Mercury and its handling, always carry Mercury with a bottle of Sulfur with it.

If at any stage Mercury was to spill Sulfur could be shaken over the top and rubbed in with s spatula (Plastic - Because Mercury will react with metal).

It then Amalgamates with the Sulfur to form Mercury Sulfide (Black/Grey in colour) and this then can be disposed of in a solid Toxic waste container, ready for disposal at a Chemical Waste site.

Just one thing on Mercury Sulfide. This is a Low toxic compound due to it being insoluble with water, but correct PPE should be worn none-of-the-less.

I hope this has helped..

Cheers,

Robb.....

Thank you. It is a great help.
Cheers Rita

Hi Rita,

Just to make you aware also there are commercially available Mercury Spill Kits but these will be at a considerable cost.

Although these kits contain an absorbent chemical different to that of Sulfur the process remains the same for the clean-up and amalgamating the two materials.

So for a cost effective solution that work identically then Sulfur would be the option I would and Have used in the passed both in the school envirionment and also in industry.

Sulfur is good because, if the product you get after cleaning up is clean then, this can be used as a reagent - Mercury Sulfide. Put this in a container mix it well to disperse the mercury (II) Sulfide evenly and use this as a Technical Grade Reagent.

This way also it can be stored quite safely..

Hope this has helped.

Cheers,

Robb.....

Isn't Mercury another naughty for schools these days? Like Marjan, we got rid of all but a few mercury thermometers, and I don't think we have jars of mercury any more. Remember the old days when we used to give kids a bit of mercury on a watch glass and let them poke it around with a stirring rod? Makes you shudder doesn't it!

Kristin

Mercury has a red dot so teacher use only.

We still use mercury thermometers in the chem lab & I use them in the Prep Room
but the other students use the green spirit ones.

Cheers

Hi,

I have gotten rid of mercury thermometers for the juniors, but my HT is a die hard mercury thermometer user, I will try to change her mind, and only replace with alcohol ones.
Jazz I have printed out the page you sent everyone and I will be putting it up in the labs, thanks for that, it is simple and easy to follow.

cheers Lisa