Lobster
Posts: 5104
Joined: 8/8/2013
From: Third rock from the Sun.
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Mercury is one of the most studied pollutants on the planet because it is one of the most common and toxic pollutants. It's everywhere which is why there is so much information on it. If you eat seafood you eat mercury. Even a normal everyday household can have at least one source. Maybe more depending on barometers, thermometers, lighting and other devices. I suspect the evaporation rate in the piece I copied did not account for the diminishing size of the mercury glob as it evaporated. My brother in law bought a wooden crate of stuff from a liquidator and in that crate were several vials of mercury. At least three liters. Glass vials in a wooden case with each having it's own secure space. Imagine if any had broken? Don't know how he disposed of them. Probably sold them since he had connections everywhere.
It does take a long time to evaporate. That merely means it's somewhat like radiation I guess. 
For me it's bothersome to see someone use it in such a cavalier fashion especially considering there is no control over the viewing audience.
This is from only one page after a simple search:
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I found this statement in a paper about Hg contamination from dental work:
The evaporation rate of elemental mercury at room temperature (20 ∘C) is approximately 50 μgcm−2h−1 (range of 40−60 μgcm−2h−1).
They cited the following work as a source for that number:
Gary N. Bigham, Wanyu R. Chan, Manuel Dekermenjian, Ali Reza, "Indoor Concentrations of Hg Vapor Following Various Spill Scenarios," Environmental Forensics 2008, 9(2-3), 187-196 (https://doi.org/10.1080/15275920802121975)
German regulations (as an example) say that 0.035 µg/l of metallic mercury vapour in air pose no risk under lifelong exposition, and 0.35µg/l can be harmful under long (months?) exposition for some people. The math is full of imponderables, esp. the actual amount that was spilled and size of drops.
Swiss officials https://www.toxinfo.ch/quecksilberhaltige-fieberthermometer say that a single broken fever thermometer can lead to intoxications, but the risk can usually be averted by collecting as much as possible and ensuring proper, regular ventilation.
The following publication suggests that a properly cleaned up spill from a fever thermometer should become undetectable within several weeks, but the airborne Hg concentration can be significant in that time, and regular ventilation is highly recommendable.
E. Martin Caravati et al. Elemental mercury exposure: An evidence-based consensus guideline for out-of-hospital management, Clinical Toxicology 2008, 46:1, 1-21, https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650701664731
But one thing is quite clear: A single, large blob that you miss (under furniture, wooden floorboard etc.) can stay for a very long time, and lead to potentially harmful concentrations in the air. There are a lot of reports about little mercury puddles that were found under floorboards during laboratory renovations, even decades after the last mercury instrument had been thrown out.
< Message edited by Lobster -- 3/6/2021 7:50:25 PM >
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Most interesting video i ever saw... - 
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