MERCURY METAL 5 pounds

5lb of mercury metal poured into a pan.

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[chillmetal]

Remember those Capri Sun Commercials from the 90s FTW

[maxflack]

I love the way people are jackasses when it comes to mercury.

[shmellhole123]

@maxflack well this is most likely elemental mercury which is almost as safe as gallium

[WonderfulLlama]

Such an interesting substance.

[nickbhalo]

Mercury is the only element people debate about. Mercury is toxic, and is a neurotoxin. However, elemental mercury poses little hazard in small amounts because it is not absorbed through the skin, and can pass through your body quickly if eaten (i dont recomend this!). Mercury vapors are a problem, but only in large amounts. Mercury is highly toxic in the form of soluble salts, like mercury nitrate or chloride. Insoluble salts are hazardous as well.

[UAEchemist2]

@OldSundevil1

I will tell you why, because the media scares the people with lies about it, for example they say that Mercury metal can be absorbed by the skin and that is a lie, only mercury compounds like Mercuric (II) Chloride can, they make these lies about mercury metal in order to get people to give away their old Mercury devices to the government, so that the government can use it to extract gold much easier and cheaper.

[OldSundevil1]

@bigglessy Very unlikely. Elemental Hg is not very reactive. Would have to be converted to inorganic Hg+ or Hg++ first in order to react with the pesticides. That would require centuries under normal natural conditions (if at all). The pesticides would have decomposed long before that. Unreacted Hg metal has been observed, co-mingled with cinnabar deposits in Hg mines in Spain, for instance. Imagine how long it had existed, as an unreacted metal, before discovery.

[bigglessy]

@OldSundevil1 The soil in many places contains lots of leftover chemicals left over from farming and other tasks, goodness knows what's left over in some places. Are you saying to me that it's entirely impossible for mercury to "accidentally" react with some pesticides and other chemicals before entering the water supply? Would you be willing to take that risk?

[OldSundevil1]

@bigglessy I certainly will! Hg metal is insoluble in water, stupid. Thus, it can't pollute a water supply. Hg contamination of water, are most likely inorganic Hg salts--most of which are not toxic and come from natural sources. Conversion of Hg metal to the toxic organomercury compounds (eg., methylmercury) requires conversion of inorganic Hg salts into these organo compounds.  I know. I made these compounds in the lab for my Ph. D. thesis. FYI, check out Minamata disease in Wikipedia.

[peepeevagi]

Does anyone really need that much mercury? :U

[bigglessy]

@OldSundevil1 That's ok, you tell us it's a waste when the next mercury spill pollutes the groundwater near your water supply! :D

[OldSundevil1]

@qwerty5000 My brother-in-law, who is a fireman, teaches a HAZMAT course to new firemen. I'm a PhD chemist and have played with lots of Hg metal during my life. I once asked him why HAZMAT teams and the press always show up & make such a big deal over every little, piddly Hg metal spill, even though we both new that the metal was not a hazard. People are unduly alarmed and lots of money is wasted. He said he knew it was stupid but "The ignorant press and public now DEMAND they respond"