Information relating to chemical safety is continuously changing and the most current source of Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) should be used for accurate information.
The information used in these current MSDS's is modified from 1999 generic sources. In all cases there may be specific modifications or additional entries for chemicals not listed.
This information is provided for educational purposes only.
Page Links: Introduction | About Mercury | MSDS for Mercury | Physical Data | Health Hazard Data | Vermont SIRI MSDS Collection | Chemical Terms |
The information below is for Mercury.
Mercury is a naturally occuring heavy metal.
Historically, mercury was used (due to its physical properties) at the industrial level to various substances found in our environment. Similarly, it can be found as a long-term contaminant of industrial sites or historic buildings soil, water or water sediments. Due to its long-term contaminating properties, both of teh environment and biological systems, it has also been known to enter the food chain.
Currently, due to a better knowledge of its health effects, it has been either removed or replaced in many products.
1 - PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
PRODUCT NAME: MERCURY (METAL)
FORMULA: HG
FORMULA WT: 200.59
CAS NO.: 07439-97-6
NIOSH/RTECS NO.: OV4550000
COMMON SYNONYMS: QUICKSILVER; LIQUID SILVER
PRODUCT CODES: 2569,2567,2564,2572
EFFECTIVE: 09/05/86
REVISION #02
PRECAUTIONARY LABELLING
BAKER SAF-T-DATA(TM) SYSTEM
HEALTH - 4 EXTREME (POISON)
FLAMMABILITY - 0 NONE
REACTIVITY - 1 SLIGHT
CONTACT - 3 SEVERE (LIFE)
HAZARD RATINGS ARE 0 TO 4 (0 = NO HAZARD; 4 = EXTREME HAZARD).
LABORATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
GOGGLES; LAB COAT; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES
PRECAUTIONARY LABEL STATEMENTS
POISON DANGER
EXCEPTIONAL CONTACT HAZARD - READ MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED
EMITS TOXIC VAPORS, ESPECIALLY WHEN HEATED.
DO NOT GET IN EYES, ON SKIN, ON CLOTHING.
DO NOT BREATHE DUST. KEEP IN TIGHTLY CLOSED CONTAINER. USE WITH ADEQUATE
VENTILATION. WASH THOROUGHLY AFTER HANDLING.
SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH)
2 - HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS
COMPONENT % CAS NO.
MERCURY (METAL) 90-100 7439-97-6
3 - PHYSICAL DATA
BOILING POINT: 357 C ( 675 F) VAPOR PRESSURE(MM HG): .002
MELTING POINT: -39 C ( -38 F) VAPOR DENSITY(AIR=1): 1.01
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 13.53 EVAPORATION RATE: 4
(H2O=1) (BUTYL ACETATE=1)
SOLUBILITY(H2O): NEGLIGIBLE (LESS THAN 0.1 %) % VOLATILES BY VOLUME: 100
APPEARANCE & ODOR: SILVER-WHITE, HEAVY, MOBILE LIQUID METAL.
4 - FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA
FLASH POINT (CLOSED CUP N/A
FLAMMABLE LIMITS: UPPER - N/A % LOWER - N/A %
FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA
USE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA APPROPRIATE FOR SURROUNDING FIRE.
SPECIAL FIRE-FIGHTING PROCEDURES
FIREFIGHTERS SHOULD WEAR PROPER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND SELF-CONTAINED
BREATHING APPARATUS WITH FULL FACEPIECE OPERATED IN POSITIVE PRESSURE MODE.
5 - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
TLV LISTED DENOTES (TLV-SKIN).
THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE (TLV/TWA): 0.05 MG/M3 ( PPM)
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL): 0.1 MG/M3 ( PPM)
CARCINOGENICITY: NTP: NO IARC: NO Z LIST: NO OSHA REG: NO
EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE
INHALATION OF VAPORS MAY CAUSE COUGHING, CHEST PAINS, NAUSEA AND VOMITING.
CHRONIC EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE MAY INCLUDE KIDNEY AND/OR LIVER DAMAGE.
CHRONIC EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE MAY INCLUDE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DEPRESSION.
CHRONIC EFFECTS OF MERCURY POISONING INCLUDE A BUILDUP OF THE
METAL IN THE BRAIN, LIVER AND KIDNEYS. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE HEADACHE,
TREMORS, LOOSE TEETH, LOSS OF APPETITE, BLISTERS ON THE SKIN AND
IMPAIRED MEMORY.
TARGET ORGANS
EYES, SKIN, RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, KIDNEYS
MEDICAL CONDITIONS GENERALLY AGGRAVATED BY EXPOSURE
NONE IDENTIFIED
ROUTES OF ENTRY
INHALATION, ABSORPTION, EYE CONTACT, SKIN CONTACT
EMERGENCY AND FIRST AID PROCEDURES
CALL A PHYSICIAN.
IF SWALLOWED, IF CONSCIOUS, IMMEDIATELY INDUCE VOMITING.
IF INHALED, REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. IF NOT BREATHING, GIVE ARTIFICIAL
RESPIRATION. IF BREATHING IS DIFFICULT, GIVE OXYGEN.
IN CASE OF CONTACT, IMMEDIATELY FLUSH EYES OR SKIN WITH PLENTY OF WATER FOR
AT LEAST 15 MINUTES WHILE REMOVING CONTAMINATED CLOTHING AND SHOES.
WASH CLOTHING BEFORE RE-USE.
PEL LISTED DENOTES CEILING LIMIT.
6 - REACTIVITY DATA
STABILITY: STABLE HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: WILL NOT OCCUR
CONDITIONS TO AVOID: HEAT
INCOMPATIBLES: STRONG ACIDS
7 - SPILL AND DISPOSAL PROCEDURES
STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF A SPILL OR DISCHARGE
WEAR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS AND FULL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
CLEAN UP SPILL IMMEDIATELY. COLLECT AND STORE USING A SUCTION PUMP WITH A
CAPILLARY TUBE. CALCIUM POLYSULFIDE WITH EXCESS SULFUR SHOULD BE SPRINKLED
INTO CRACKS OR INACCESSIBLE SITES. KEEP COLLECTED MERCURY IN A TIGHTLY
CLOSED BOTTLE FOR RECOVERY OR DISPOSAL.
J.T. BAKER CINNASORB(R) AND RESISORB(R) ARE RECOMMENDED
FOR SPILLS OF THIS PRODUCT.
DISPOSAL PROCEDURE
DISPOSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
EPA HAZARDOUS WASTE NUMBER: U151 (TOXIC WASTE)
8 - PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
VENTILATION: USE GENERAL OR LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION TO MEET
TLV REQUIREMENTS.
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: NONE REQUIRED WHERE APPROPRIATE VENTILATION
CONDITIONS EXIST. IF THE TLV IS EXCEEDED, A SELF-
CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS IS ADVISED.
EYE/SKIN PROTECTION: SAFETY GOGGLES AND FACE SHIELD, UNIFORM,
PROTECTIVE SUIT, RUBBER GLOVES ARE RECOMMENDED.
9 - STORAGE AND HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
9 - STORAGE AND HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH)
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS
KEEP CONTAINER TIGHTLY CLOSED. STORE IN SECURE POISON AREA.
10 - TRANSPORTATION DATA AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DOMESTIC (D.O.T.)
PROPER SHIPPING NAME MERCURY, METALLIC (AIR ONLY)
HAZARD CLASS ORM-B
UN/NA NA2809
LABELS NONE
REPORTABLE QUANTITY 1 LBS.
INTERNATIONAL (I.M.O.)
PROPER SHIPPING NAME MERCURY, METAL
HAZARD CLASS 8
UN/NA UN2809
LABELS CORROSIVE
Some Chemical Terms (relating to harmful effects)
A carcinogen is a chemical known or believed to cause cancer in humans. The number of known carcinogens is comparatively small, but many more chemicals are suspected to be carcinogenic.
ED50: Effective dose - the amount of material required to produce a specified effect in 50% of an animal population. (See qualification in the definition of LD50).
LD50: is the dose of a chemical which kills 50% of a sample population. In full reporting, the dose, treatment and observation period should be given. Further, LD50 and ED50 values are strictly only comparable when the age, sex and nutritional state of the animals is specified. Nevertheless, LD50 values are widely reported as a measure of the potential toxicity of chemicals.
A mutagen is an agent that changes the hereditary genetic material which is a part of every living cell. Such a mutation is probably an early step in the sequence of events that ultimately leads to the development of cancer.
TLV (Threshold Limit Value) is the maximum permissible concentration of a material, generally expressed in parts per million in air for some defined period of time (often 8 hours). These values, which may differ from country to country, are often backed up by regulation and are therefore often legally enforceable.
Look at types of Abnormal Development that can occur during development.
Alternatively, look at normal development. Development Notes
For those wanting to see dynamic processes of development (and have a reasonably quick connection) then the Movies pages are good for watching changes occur.
The study of human development has relied extensively on studying the process in other model animals. For those wanting to see the process of development in other species then the other embryos pages are a good start.
Home Page
Embryo stages
Fetus
Dev Notes 1
Dev Notes 2
System Notes
Acknowledgements
Abnormal
Major System Abnormalities
Maternal Factors
MSDS Index
MSDS - Mercury
Fetal Origins Hypothesis
Movies
Audio
Class Notes
Serial Images
K12 Students
Abnormal
Embryology in the News
Histology
Site Map
School of Med Sci
UNSW Medicine
University of NSW
UNSW Cell Biology
NCBI Books
Dev Biol (Gilbert)
Abnormalities in human development can be due to many different maternal factors, this page gives background information on the topic of Mercury.
Furthermore the Fetal Origins Hypothesis now suggests that uterine developmental effects, as sometimes indicated by low birth weight, can also have an impact on future health outcomes.
This chemical information is provided for educational use only and specific chemical data should be saught from manufacturers or suppliers of chemicals.
See also the Prenatal Diagnosis page NSW Pamphlet Checking your baby's health before birth.
Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.