mercury-Copper


 * Mercury Background**

Mercury is an important industrial metal because of its desirable properties. These properties are; the ability to alloy with most metals, liquidity at room temperature, ease of vaporizing and freezing, and electrical conductivity. Mercury is used in thermometers, barometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, and float valves. Mercury is also used in fluorescent lamps, dental amalgams, and mascara. The positives of Mercury are that it has many desirable properties that make it useful in many different situations. These properties were mentioned in the first paragraph. Mercury is used all around the world.


 * Human Health and Environment**

Mercury is a very toxic heavy metal. Too much exposure to mercury will cause mercury poisoning. Mercury damages the brain, kidney, and lungs. The nervous system is very sensitive to all forms of mercury. Mercury kills neurons in areas in the brain including the visual cortex, cerebellum, and dorsal root ganglia. Mercury poisoning can result in several diseases, including acrodynia and Minamata disease. Acrodynia is a type of mercury poisoning in children characterized by pain and pink discoloration of the hands and feet. Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. Symptoms include ataxia (the loss of control of body movement), numbness in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision, and damage to hearing and speech. In severe cases, paralysis, insanity, coma and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. Symptoms of mercury poisoning typically involve sensory impairment, disturbed sensation and a lack of coordination. The type and degree of symptoms shown depend upon the individual toxin, the dose, and the method and duration of exposure. Mercury poisoning can result in death If large doses of mercury are released into the environment the result is disastrous. There have been cases in which large quantities of mercury got into fish and killed thousands of people. Fish and shellfish absorb methylmercury (an organic mercury compound) as they feed and become contaminated. Humans and animals then eat the seafood and absorb the mercury. Mercury can cause deformities and death in wildlife. Mercury cannot be broken down, as it is an element, but mercury compounds can be broken down into their individual elements. Some examples of this are: Hg2Cl2-->2Cl+2Hg, which is mercury(I) chloride being broken down into mercury and chlorine, HgS-->Hg+S, which is mercury sulfide being broken down into mercury and sulfur, and HgO-->Hg+O, which is mercury(II) oxide being broken down into mercury and oxygen. Mercury will be disposed of by a local or state health or environmental agency.


 * Synthesis/Production**

Mercury is seldom found by itself in nature. Most mercury is chemically bound to other materials in the form of ores. The most common ore is mercury sulfide (HgS), also known as cinnabar. Other mercury ores include calomel (HgCl), montroydite (HgO), and corderoite (Hg3S2Cl2). There are sundry other ores. Mercury ores are formed underground when warm mineral solutions rise towards the earth's surface under the influence of volcanic action. They are usually found in fractured and faulted rocks at relatively shallow depths of 3-3000 ft. Cinnabar ore is crushed and heated to release the mercury as a vapor. The mercury vapor is then cooled, condensed, and collected. Almost 95% of the mercury content of cinnabar ore can be recovered.




 * Economic/Political Impact**

There would not be a large impact in this country if mercury were banned. Mercury is already banned to use in a large amount of products. Non-mercury replacements are similar in price to mercury and have the same effectiveness. One product that would not be available after a mercury ban would be fluorescent lights, in fluorescent lights mercury molecules are excited to produce short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor to fluoresce, producing visible light. But, there still are alternative ways of producing light, so that wouldn’t have a big effect on this country, There is a ban on exportation of mercury in the United States. Europe is currently exports mercury, but the European Union will ban it in 2011. The ban would not affect the average U.S. citizen greatly. As I have stated earlier, many of the products that use mercury can be replaced with alternatives. Also, many of the products that use mercury are scientific apparatuses that the average U.S. citizen would most likely not use. There would be no political ramifications for banning mercury.


 * Abstract and Summery**

Mercury is an important industrial metal. It has many desirable properties, such as; the ability to alloy with most metals, liquidity at room temperature, ease of vaporizing and freezing, and electrical conductivity. Mercury is used in many scientific apparatuses, such as barometers and manometers. Mercury is also used in fluorescent lamps, dental amalgams, and mascara. Mercury is a very toxic heavy metal. Too much exposure to mercury will cause mercury poisoning. Mercury damages the brain, kidney, and lungs. The nervous system is very sensitive to all forms of mercury. Mercury kills neurons in areas in the brain. Mercury poisoning can result in several diseases, including acrodynia and Minamata disease. Mercury poisoning can result in death If large doses of mercury are released into the environment the result is disastrous. There have been cases in which large quantities of mercury got into fish and killed thousands of people. Fish and shellfish absorb methylmercury (an organic mercury compound) as they feed and become contaminated. Humans and animals then eat the seafood and absorb the mercury. Mercury can cause deformities and death in wildlife. Mercury is seldom found by itself in nature. Most mercury is chemically bound to other materials in the form of ores. The most common ore is red mercury sulfide (HgS), also known as cinnabar. Cinnabar ore is crushed and heated to release the mercury as a vapor. The mercury vapor is then cooled, condensed, and collected. Almost 95% of the mercury content of cinnabar ore can be recovered using this process. There would not be a large impact in this country if mercury were banned. Mercury is already banned to use in a large amount of products. Non-mercury replacements are similar in price to mercury and have the same effectiveness. One of the products that would not be available after a mercury ban would be fluorescent lights. But, there still are alternative ways of producing light, so that wouldn’t have a big effect on this country. Mercury is not needed. Even though it is an important industrial metal, its cons outweigh its pros. Mostly all of the products that use mercury can be made with an alternative. Replacing the mercury in those products with alternatives would make the world a safer place. Like I stated earlier, the costs of using mercury outweigh the benefits. The only pro of mercury is that it is a versatile industrial metal. The cons are, sickness and death. Mercury alternatives are similar in price to the products that include the mercury, they have the same effectiveness, and aren’t detrimental to the health of humans. A ban wouldn’t put any stress on our economy, so a ban would be worthwhile.


 * Public Service Announcement**

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//**Citations**

Ingham County, "MERCURY: A FACT SHEET FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS." __ingham.org__. Ingham County. 13 Mar 2009 <[]>.

Advameg Inc., "Mercury." __madehow.com__. 2007. Advameg Inc.. 13 Mar 2009 <[]>.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, "ToxFAQs™ for Mercury." __atsdr.cdc.gov__. 09/11/2007. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 13 Mar 2009 <[]>.

//Pictures From//

eo.ucar.edu www.terumotmp.com twilit.wordpress.com compactfluorescentlightbulb.org www.hgadvisors.com