[NHCOLL-L:4585] Re: HgCl2

[CAHawks at aol.com]

Hi Patricia
 
They absolutely give off mercury vapor if they were treated with mercuric  
chloride (HgCl2). All inorganic mercury compounds offgas mercury vapor at 
what  we consider to be ambient temperatures.
 
I'm attaching a protocol for testing for the presence of the  vapor,  but 
unfortunately the reagent has been taken off the market.
 
Instruments that give quantitative results are described in the  article. 
The one most likely to be available is the Jerome mercury vapor  monitor. A 
local industrial hygiene firm may have a Jerome and be able to  do the 
monitoring for you.
 
If the specimens do contain mercury, the box will have absorbed and will  
re-emit that vapor as well.
 
Cathy
 
Catharine Hawks
Conservator
2419 Barbour Road
Falls Church  VA 22043-3026 USA
t/f 703.876.9272
mobile 703.200.4370  

 
In a message dated 11/2/2009 2:57:23 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
patricia.gegick at state.nm.us writes:

Dear List, 
I  have a beautiful bird egg collection from the early 1900s.  On the  
listserve this past year was a reply stating that early bird egg collections  
were most likely treated with "corrosive sublimate" which is mercuric  
dichloride, HgCl2, I believe.  Does anyone know if these eggs, which have  been 
stored in a closed, specially-made wooden box, give off any Hg gas?   I am 
concerned about displaying them during collections tours. Also, does  anyone 
know how they can be tested for presence of Hg?   Thanks. 
Patricia J. Gegick  
Bioscience Collections  Manager 
Department  of Collections and Research 
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science 
1801 Mountain Road, NW  
Albuquerque, NM   87104-1375 
Phone:  505.841.2867  Fax: 505.841.2866 
email:   patricia.gegick at state.nm.us  



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