MERCURY

Christine Antonio

Physical/Chemical
Properties
Silvery, heavy, mobile, liquid
phase
Only liquid metal at room temp.
Odorless
Melting Point: -38.83 oC
Boiling Point: 356.73oC
Density: 13.55g.cm-3
Low melting point due to
unique electron configuration
High surface tension
Poor conductor of heat
Good conductor of electricity

Chemical Properties
Insoluble in water
Does not react with oxygen in air very steadily
When heated, reacts with oxygen in air to form mercury
oxide
At high temp., Hg vaporizes to form highly toxic fumes
Extremely toxic and rarely found free in nature
Often found as mineral cinnabar, HgS
Cinnabar heated in air -> Hg vapor is distilled & cooled
to form liquid Hg

Properties contd.
7 natural occurring isotopes; 202Hg being the
most abundant (29.86%)
~ 12 radioactive isotopes known
Longest lived 194Hg with half life of 444yrs
197Hg & 203Hg used to study brain and kidney

Mercury exists in 3 oxidation states

Organics (esp. CH3Hg(II)X) most toxic forms

Airborne mercury is primarily inorganic mercury

Mercury amalgams: used to extract precious

metals like gold and silver; dental fillings

History fun facts

Found in Egyptian
tombs 1500 B.C
Egyptians used in
cosmetics, causing
some facial
deformities!
Greeks: ointments
Chinese: prolong life;
good health

Uses/Applications

Used in thermometers, barometers, electrical switches,

mercury vapor lamps, fluorescent lamps, paints,
fungicides/insecticides/antiseptics
Dental amalgams, battery manufacturing

Hg in the aquatic
environment
Airborne mercury deposits into ground
Rivers, streams and wetlands
Sulfate-reducing bacteria buried in
sediment transforms the inorganic Hg
into CH3Hg
Bioaccumulates in fish, aq. inverts.
and mammals
Conc. of Hg in organism increases
with increasing trophic level in food
chain
Larger predatory game fish have
higher levels of Hg
Hg concentrates in muscle tissue of
fish

 Once mercury
Toxicity to aquatic
life is in surface

water it goes through

complex cycle
Brought down to sediment
and into food chain or
released back into
atmosphere
Levels of dissolved organic
carbon and low pH levels
enhance mobility of Hg
making it more likely to
enter food chain

Toxic effects cont.

Mercury compounds are acutely toxic to freshwater
microorganisms
Freshwater fish show lethal response to mercury in acute
concentrations starting at 30ug/L
The LC50/96-hour values for fish are less than 1 mg/L.
Many aquatic inverts. are very sensitive to mercury (esp.
larvae)
Methyl mercury passes the blood brain-barrier and nuclear
membranes to react directly with cellular and nuclear
components
Accumulation of Hg in the brain, compared to blood and
muscle, is much less is fish than mammals (lack external
barriers and internal detoxification system)

Detoxification
The liver is the main site for
methyl Hg
biotransformation in
animals
Liver transforms harmful
compounds into
metabolites which are
excreted into bile and
detoxification continues
Once in the bile, compound
enters small intestine and
either reabsrobed in gut or
excreted through feces

Methyl mercury undergoes

enterohepatic cycle
Liver-bile-small intestinereabsorbed into blood-back
to liver

Hg is retained by the
organism and has a
significant increased half
life
Many studies also indicate
Se plays a role in protecting
against Hg toxiciy

So how does it go from aquatic life to

humans?

Toxicity effects on
humans
Methyl mercury from fish
consumption (highly
toxic) or breathing
vaporous mercury (bodies
are more adapted to
reducing toxic effects)
Methyl mercury affects
central nervous system
and irreversible brain
damage

2 Biggest Hg poisonings
Mad Hatter- during the
industrial revolution, hatmakers used mercury nitrate to
soften fur used as lining in
hats. Toxic effected brains
causing mental instability.
Japan - 1952, chemical co.
dumped Hg into Minamata
harbor; residents of local
fishing villages contaminated;
100s affected and 68 died

Hazardous!!

DANGER! CORROSIVE. CAUSES BURNS TO SKIN, EYES, AND

RESPIRATORY TRACT. MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED OR
INHALED. HARMFUL IF ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. AFFECTS
THE KIDNEYS AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. MAY CAUSE
ALLERGIC SKIN REACTION. (MSDS 2008)

Thank You!!
Yehey!!!!!! :P