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Mercury 
(Hg) 
By 
Student 
Mohamed El-desoki 
,Chemistry & Zoology department 
Faculty of Science ,.Mansoura University 
Instructor 
Dr. Nagwa Nwar 
1
( Mercury (Hg 
Due to concerns about the element's toxicity levels, 
the use of mercury is slowly being phased out. However, 
being the only metal that possesses the property of 
maintaining a liquid state at room temperature, it is not 
surprising that mercury has found a number of special 
.applications throughout past decades 
Mercury, sometimes called quicksilver, is a silver-colored 
metal that is a liquid at room temperature. 
Useful properties of mercury include its ability to 
expand when heated, contract when cooled, remain a 
liquid at any temperature and conduct electric current. 
However, mercury vapor can cause damage to the 
nervous system if inhaled. Although the use of mercury 
declined with the awareness of the dangers it poses, it is 
still used for many purposes, which was the reason for 
.choosing this element to my research 
:Uses of Mercury 
In the past it has been used for gold and 
silver mining, light switches, batteries, in 
2
barometers and other scientific equipment, 
preserving wood for making hats and in many 
.other industries 
Because of its high density, it is used in 
barometers and manometers. Because it has 
a high rate of thermal expansion that is fairly 
constant over a wide temperature range, it is used 
.extensively in thermometers 
Mercury is important as a liquid contact material 
for electric switches. It is used in mercury-vapor 
lamps, which emit light rich in ultraviolet 
radiation; various kinds of such lamps are used for 
street lighting, as sun lamps, and in "black lights" 
(see lighting). Mercury is used as an electrode in 
the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide. It 
is also used in certain electric batteries. With 
some other metals mercury forms a special type of 
alloy called an amalgam; a special amalgam 
(mostly mercury, silver, and tin) is used in dentistry 
for filling teeth.And is also used in mining to 
.separate gold from sand 
Mercury compounds have many uses. 
Calomel (mercurous chloride, Hg2Cl2) is used as a 
standard in electrochemical measurements and in 
medicine as a purgative. Mercuric chloride 
(corrosive sublimate, HgCl2) is used as an 
insecticide, in rat poison, and as a disinfectant. 
Mercuric oxide is used in skin ointments. 
Mercuric sulfate is used as a catalyst in organic 
chemistry. Vermilion, a red pigment, is mercuric 
3
sulfide; another crystalline form of the sulfide (also 
used as a pigment) is black. Mercury fulminate, 
Hg(CNO)2, is used as a detonator. Mercury 
forms many organic compounds. Mercurochrome 
(in 2% aqueous solution) is used in medicine as a 
topical antiseptic. Mercury compounds were 
.formerly used in the treatment of syphilis 
Also Uses in Pesticides and biocides were 
commonly used for the treatment and control 
purpose and it can be of organic and inorganic 
mercurial compounds. It can be use as an additive 
in coating, in hospitals for dressing mean, 
.even for fabrication and laundry use 
:Red mercury 
Has yet to prove a substance called "red 
mercury" because of the different interpretations 
and speculation on them, but no reason to doubt 
that the answer for the fact that there are "red 
mercury" are present in the secret files too have not 
been disclosed and may affect the national security 
of countries such as Russia and the United States 
of America Although the intake of the media to that 
.topic but it does raise speculation 
But some say it already exists,prepared from 
elemental mercury, antimony interaction according 
to a particular method yields a red color liquid 
chemical formula (Hg2Sb2O7) scientific name 
(Mercuric Pyro-Antimonate) Beroantimonat 
mercury, and his name is common and widespread 
among the people is the Red Mercury, So we can 
say that it is used in the atomic bomb and 
4
uranium enrichment. But recently the World 
Health Organization welcomes the establishment of 
.an international treaty on mercury 
: Mercury in Use Today 
New or “virgin” mercury used in products 
originates from mines, mostly in Spain. The 
mercury is processed, like other metals, and sold to 
manufacturers to be put into many types of 
consumer products. However, much of the 
mercury used in North America today comes from 
recycled sources, as programs to recover mercury 
increase, thus reducing demand for virgin mercury. 
Controlling the deliberate use or release of mercury 
can be difficult because mercury tends to be used 
in very small quantities but is dispersed across 
many different kinds of products. In many cases 
the mercury is concealed inside products or is an 
additive. People using products with mercury are 
generally unaware of the fact that there is mercury 
in the product, making control of mercury releases 
.at disposal very difficult 
Mercury is still put into many consumer products 
manufactured in all parts of the world. Even though 
mercury is often thought of as a substance used in 
“old” technology, mercury applications can be 
found in notebook computers, modern telephones, 
new lighting technologies and anti-lock brakes in 
.cars manufactured in 2002 
5
Ancient uses of mercury continue in countries 
where the mystical properties of mercury are 
valued. In Mexico and other Spanish-speaking 
countries, for example, amulets containing liquid 
mercury are still widely available. Worn around the 
neck, they are thought to protect the wearer from 
ill-health. In some cultures, liquid mercury is 
sprinkled in homes, or even around children’s cribs, 
with the idea that this will help ward off evil spirits. 
The lack of awareness of the potential harm, 
combined with the cultural and historic factors 
.involved, makes this a challenging use to address 
Mercury is still used in products for several 
reasons. First, mercury is a very cheap substance 
given the many commercially valuable services it 
provides. Second, the occurrence of acute 
mercury poisoning has declined following better 
industrial practices and the new medical evidence 
on the risks of low-level exposure is not well-known. 
Finally, many companies that use mercury 
are unwilling to change their practices if it means 
having to spend money to modify their product, 
unless they are ordered to do so by government 
.regulations 
.Done 
Mohamed Eldesoki 
6
Director 
Dr. Nagwa Nwar 
7

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Research

  • 1. Mercury (Hg) By Student Mohamed El-desoki ,Chemistry & Zoology department Faculty of Science ,.Mansoura University Instructor Dr. Nagwa Nwar 1
  • 2. ( Mercury (Hg Due to concerns about the element's toxicity levels, the use of mercury is slowly being phased out. However, being the only metal that possesses the property of maintaining a liquid state at room temperature, it is not surprising that mercury has found a number of special .applications throughout past decades Mercury, sometimes called quicksilver, is a silver-colored metal that is a liquid at room temperature. Useful properties of mercury include its ability to expand when heated, contract when cooled, remain a liquid at any temperature and conduct electric current. However, mercury vapor can cause damage to the nervous system if inhaled. Although the use of mercury declined with the awareness of the dangers it poses, it is still used for many purposes, which was the reason for .choosing this element to my research :Uses of Mercury In the past it has been used for gold and silver mining, light switches, batteries, in 2
  • 3. barometers and other scientific equipment, preserving wood for making hats and in many .other industries Because of its high density, it is used in barometers and manometers. Because it has a high rate of thermal expansion that is fairly constant over a wide temperature range, it is used .extensively in thermometers Mercury is important as a liquid contact material for electric switches. It is used in mercury-vapor lamps, which emit light rich in ultraviolet radiation; various kinds of such lamps are used for street lighting, as sun lamps, and in "black lights" (see lighting). Mercury is used as an electrode in the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide. It is also used in certain electric batteries. With some other metals mercury forms a special type of alloy called an amalgam; a special amalgam (mostly mercury, silver, and tin) is used in dentistry for filling teeth.And is also used in mining to .separate gold from sand Mercury compounds have many uses. Calomel (mercurous chloride, Hg2Cl2) is used as a standard in electrochemical measurements and in medicine as a purgative. Mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate, HgCl2) is used as an insecticide, in rat poison, and as a disinfectant. Mercuric oxide is used in skin ointments. Mercuric sulfate is used as a catalyst in organic chemistry. Vermilion, a red pigment, is mercuric 3
  • 4. sulfide; another crystalline form of the sulfide (also used as a pigment) is black. Mercury fulminate, Hg(CNO)2, is used as a detonator. Mercury forms many organic compounds. Mercurochrome (in 2% aqueous solution) is used in medicine as a topical antiseptic. Mercury compounds were .formerly used in the treatment of syphilis Also Uses in Pesticides and biocides were commonly used for the treatment and control purpose and it can be of organic and inorganic mercurial compounds. It can be use as an additive in coating, in hospitals for dressing mean, .even for fabrication and laundry use :Red mercury Has yet to prove a substance called "red mercury" because of the different interpretations and speculation on them, but no reason to doubt that the answer for the fact that there are "red mercury" are present in the secret files too have not been disclosed and may affect the national security of countries such as Russia and the United States of America Although the intake of the media to that .topic but it does raise speculation But some say it already exists,prepared from elemental mercury, antimony interaction according to a particular method yields a red color liquid chemical formula (Hg2Sb2O7) scientific name (Mercuric Pyro-Antimonate) Beroantimonat mercury, and his name is common and widespread among the people is the Red Mercury, So we can say that it is used in the atomic bomb and 4
  • 5. uranium enrichment. But recently the World Health Organization welcomes the establishment of .an international treaty on mercury : Mercury in Use Today New or “virgin” mercury used in products originates from mines, mostly in Spain. The mercury is processed, like other metals, and sold to manufacturers to be put into many types of consumer products. However, much of the mercury used in North America today comes from recycled sources, as programs to recover mercury increase, thus reducing demand for virgin mercury. Controlling the deliberate use or release of mercury can be difficult because mercury tends to be used in very small quantities but is dispersed across many different kinds of products. In many cases the mercury is concealed inside products or is an additive. People using products with mercury are generally unaware of the fact that there is mercury in the product, making control of mercury releases .at disposal very difficult Mercury is still put into many consumer products manufactured in all parts of the world. Even though mercury is often thought of as a substance used in “old” technology, mercury applications can be found in notebook computers, modern telephones, new lighting technologies and anti-lock brakes in .cars manufactured in 2002 5
  • 6. Ancient uses of mercury continue in countries where the mystical properties of mercury are valued. In Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, for example, amulets containing liquid mercury are still widely available. Worn around the neck, they are thought to protect the wearer from ill-health. In some cultures, liquid mercury is sprinkled in homes, or even around children’s cribs, with the idea that this will help ward off evil spirits. The lack of awareness of the potential harm, combined with the cultural and historic factors .involved, makes this a challenging use to address Mercury is still used in products for several reasons. First, mercury is a very cheap substance given the many commercially valuable services it provides. Second, the occurrence of acute mercury poisoning has declined following better industrial practices and the new medical evidence on the risks of low-level exposure is not well-known. Finally, many companies that use mercury are unwilling to change their practices if it means having to spend money to modify their product, unless they are ordered to do so by government .regulations .Done Mohamed Eldesoki 6