Mercury oxide (Hg2O)

417.1794

421.95200

239-934-0

1641

DTXSID3065954

Black or brownish-black powder

9.23000

-0.06930

9.8 g/cm³

100 °C (decomp)

Sol in acids

PROTECT FROM LIGHT.

Non-combustible; decomposes toxic mercury vapor when heated

Hydrochloric acid converts it into calomel.

Insoluble in water.

Metals, Less Reactive

Mixtures of "MERCURY OXIDE" with barium oxide react vigorously with hydrogen sulfide in air. Explosions may result [Mellor 10:140. 1946-47]. Dissolves in nitric acid. Reacts with hydrochloric acid to give insoluble mercurous chloride (calomel). Contact of the metal oxide caused the explosive decomposition of hydrogen peroxide [Bretherick 5th ed., 1995]. Mixtures with phosphorus or sulfur explode by impact and friction respectively, [Mellor, 1940, Vol. 4, 77].

II

6.1(a)

1641

Treasury is ventilated and dried at low temperature; stored and transported separately from reducing agents, acids and food

P201, P202, P260, P261, P264, P270, P271, P272, P280, P281, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P307+P311, P308+P313, P312, P314, P321, P332+P313, P333+P313, P337+P313, P362, P363, P403+P233, P405, P501

H315

Generators of waste (equal to or greater than 100 kg/mo) containing this contaminant, EPA hazardous waste number D009, must conform with USEPA regulations in storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste.|SRP: At the time of review, criteria for land treatment or burial (sanitary landfill) disposal practices are subject to significant revision. Prior to implementing land disposal of waste residue (including waste sludge), consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices.

MOLTEN SODIUM OR POTASSIUM DECOMPOSES MERCUROUS OXIDE WITH SLIGHT EXPLOSION.|MIXTURE /OF MERCUROUS OXIDE & HYDROGEN PEROXIDE/ REACTS WITH EXPLOSIVE VIOLENCE.|MIXTURES OF BARIUM OXIDE WITH MERCUROUS OR NICKEL OXIDE ALSO REACT VIGOROUSLY WITH HYDROGEN SULFIDE IN AIR & VIVID INCANDESCENCE OR EXPLOSIONS MAY RESULT.|Interaction of /mercury(I) oxide/ with molten potassium or sodium is accompanied by a brilliant light and a light explosion.|MIXTURE OF /MERCUROUS OXIDE & SULFUR/ PULVERIZED MATERIALS WILL IGNITE FROM LIGHT IMPACT.

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Containers may explode when heated. Runoff may pollute waterways. (ERG, 2016)

|Danger|H315: Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]|P201, P202, P260, P261, P264, P270, P271, P272, P280, P281, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P307+P311, P308+P313, P312, P314, P321, P332+P313, P333+P313, P337+P313, P362, P363, P403+P233, P405, and P501

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: SMALL FIRE: Dry chemical, CO2 or water spray. LARGE FIRE: Water spray, fog or regular foam. Move containers from fire area if you can do it without risk. Dike fire-control water for later disposal; do not scatter the material. Use water spray or fog; do not use straight streams. FIRE INVOLVING TANKS OR CAR/TRAILER LOADS: Fight fire from maximum distance or use unmanned hose holders or monitor nozzles. Do not get water inside containers. Cool containers with flooding quantities of water until well after fire is out. Withdraw immediately in case of rising sound from venting safety devices or discoloration of tank. ALWAYS stay away from tanks engulfed in fire. For massive fire, use unmanned hose holders or monitor nozzles; if this is impossible, withdraw from area and let fire burn. (ERG, 2016)

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: As an immediate precautionary measure, isolate spill or leak area in all directions for at least 50 meters (150 feet) for liquids and at least 25 meters (75 feet) for solids. SPILL: Increase, in the downwind direction, as necessary, the isolation distance shown above. FIRE: If tank, rail car or tank truck is involved in a fire, ISOLATE for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions; also, consider initial evacuation for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions. (ERG, 2016)

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: Do not touch damaged containers or spilled material unless wearing appropriate protective clothing. Stop leak if you can do it without risk. Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas. Cover with plastic sheet to prevent spreading. Absorb or cover with dry earth, sand or other non-combustible material and transfer to containers. DO NOT GET WATER INSIDE CONTAINERS. (ERG, 2016)

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Wear chemical protective clothing that is specifically recommended by the manufacturer. It may provide little or no thermal protection. Structural firefighters' protective clothing provides limited protection in fire situations ONLY; it is not effective in spill situations where direct contact with the substance is possible. (ERG, 2016)|BUREAU OF MINES APPROVED AIRLINE RESPIRATOR; IMPERVIOUS SUIT; APPROPRIATE EYE PROTECTION.|Personnel protection: ... Wear appropriate chemical protective gloves, boots and goggles. ... Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus when fighting fires involving this material.

Mercury spills should be cleaned up immediately by use of a special vacuum cleaner. Then the area should be washed with a dilute calcium sulfide solution. Small quantities of mercury can be picked up by mixing with copper metal granules. ... /Mercury/|Mercury removal from waste water can be accomplished by these processes: BMS process; Chlorine is added to the waste water, oxidizing any mercury present to the ionic state. The BMS adsorbent (an activated carbon concentrate of sulfur cmpd on its surface) is used to collect ionic mercury. The spent adsorbent is then distilled to recover the mercury, leaving a carbon residue for reuse or disposal. TMR IMAC Process; Waste water is fed into a reactor, whereby a slight excess of chlorine is maintained, oxidizing any mercury present to ionic mercury. The liquid is then passed through the TMR IMAC ion-exchange resin where mercury ions are adsorbed. The mercury is then stripped from the spent resin with hydrochloric acid solution. /Mercury cmpds/|SPILLED MERCURY CMPD OR SOLN CAN BE CLEANED UP BY ANY METHOD THAT DOES NOT CAUSE EXCESSIVE AIRBORNE CONTAMINATION OR SKIN CONTACT. /MERCURY COMPOUNDS/|1) Ventilate area of spill. 2) Collect spilled material for reclamation using commercially available mercury vapor depressants or specialized vacuum cleaners. /Inorganic mercury/

If material not involved in fire: Keep material out of water sources and sewers.|Personnel protection: Avoid breathing dusts, and fumes from burning material. Keep upwind. Avoid bodily contact with the material. Do not handle broken packages unless wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. Wash away any material which may have contacted the body with copious amounts of water or soap and water. If contact with the material is anticipated, wear appropriate chemical protective clothing.|SRP: Contaminated protective clothing should be segregated in such a manner so that there is no direct personal contact by personnel who handle, dispose, or clean the clothing. Quality assurance to ascertain the completeness of the cleaning procedures should be implemented before the decontaminated protective clothing is returned for reuse by the workers.|Preventative measure: adequate ventilation; careful attention to good housekeeping, e.g., avoidance of spills, and prompt and proper cleaning if a spill occurs; all containers of mercury and its compounds should be kept tightly closed; should be washed on a regular basis with dilute calcium sulfide solution or other suitable reactant; floors should be nonporous; all workers directly involved in the plant operation should shower thoroughly each day before leaving. /Mercury compounds/

/GUIDE 151: SUBSTANCES - TOXIC (NON-COMBUSTIBLE)/ Health: Highly toxic, may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through skin. Avoid any skin contact. Effects of contact or inhalation may be delayed. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution. /Mercury oxide/|/GUIDE 151: SUBSTANCES - TOXIC (NON-COMBUSTIBLE)/ Fire or Explosion: Non-combustible, substance itself does not burn but may decompose upon heating to produce corrosive and/or toxic fumes. Containers may explode when heated. Runoff may pollute waterways. /Mercury oxide/|/GUIDE 151: SUBSTANCES - TOXIC (NON-COMBUSTIBLE)/ Public Safety: CALL Emergency Response Telephone Number ... . As an immediate precautionary measure, isolate spill or leak area in all directions for at least 50 meters (150 feet) for liquids and at lease 25 meters (75 feet) for solids. Keep unauthorized personnel away. Stay upwind. Keep out of low areas. /Mercury oxide/|/GUIDE 151: SUBSTANCES - TOXIC (NON-COMBUSTIBLE)/ Protective Clothing: Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Wear chemical protective clothing that is specifically recommended by the manufacturer. It may provide little or no thermal protection. Structural firefighters' protective clothing provides limited protection in fire situations ONLY; it is not effective in spill situations where direct contact with the substance is possible. /Mercury oxide/|For more DOT Emergency Guidelines (Complete) data for MERCUROUS OXIDE (8 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

No person may /transport,/ offer or accept a hazardous material for transportation in commerce unless that person is registered in conformance ... and the hazardous material is properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled, and in condition for shipment as required or authorized by ... /the hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR 171-177)./|The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations are published by the IATA Dangerous Goods Board pursuant to IATA Resolutions 618 and 619 and constitute a manual of industry carrier regulations to be followed by all IATA Member airlines when transporting hazardous materials.|The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code lays down basic principles for transporting hazardous chemicals. Detailed recommendations for individual substances and a number of recommendations for good practice are included in the classes dealing with such substances. A general index of technical names has also been compiled. This index should always be consulted when attempting to locate the appropriate procedures to be used when shipping any substance or article.

Vacated 1989 OSHA PEL still enforced in some states: Hg vapor, TWA 0.05 mg/cu m, skin; Non-alkyl cmpds, Ceiling 0.1 mg/cu m, skin. /Mercury cmpd, as Hg, (except (organo) alkyls)/

Recommended Exposure Limit: 10 Hr Time-Weighted Avg: 0.05 mg/cu m, skin (Hg vapor). /Mercury [except (organo) alkyls] (as Hg)/|Recommended Exposure Limit: Ceiling Value: 0.1 mg/cu m, skin. /Mercury compounds [except (organo) alkyls] (as Hg)/

Listed as a hazardous air pollutant (HAP) generally known or suspected to cause serious health problems. The Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990, directs EPA to set standards requiring major sources to sharply reduce routine emissions of toxic pollutants. EPA is required to establish and phase in specific performance based standards for all air emission sources that emit one or more of the listed pollutants. Mercurous oxide is included on this list.

D009; Mercury. A waste containing mercury may or may not be characterized as a hazardous waste following testing by the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure as prescribed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations. /Mercury/

D009; A solid waste containing mercury may or may not become characterized as a hazardous waste when subjected to the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure listed in 40 CFR 261.24, and if so characterized, must be managed as a hazardous waste. /Mercury/

most toxic

IN MOIST AIR, MERCURY (HG) MAY OXIDIZE SLOWLY, FORMING A FILM OF MERCUROUS OXIDE (HG2O). IN GENERAL, HOWEVER, THE FILM THAT FORMS IS THAT OF THE OXIDES OF TRACES OF CONTAINED IMPURITIES.

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: Highly toxic, may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through skin. Avoid any skin contact. Effects of contact or inhalation may be delayed. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may be corrosive and/or toxic and cause pollution. (ERG, 2016)

Excerpt from ERG Guide 151 [Substances - Toxic (Non-combustible)]: Ensure that medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved and take precautions to protect themselves. Move victim to fresh air. Call 911 or emergency medical service. Give artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. Do not use mouth-to-mouth method if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; give artificial respiration with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. In case of contact with substance, immediately flush skin or eyes with running water for at least 20 minutes. For minor skin contact, avoid spreading material on unaffected skin. Keep victim calm and warm. Effects of exposure (inhalation, ingestion or skin contact) to substance may be delayed. (ERG, 2016)

Probably a mixture of HgO and Hg

Mercury oxide (Hg2O): INACTIVE