Agent Name |
Mercuric chloride |
CAS Number |
7487-94-7 |
Formula |
Hg-Cl2 |
Major Category |
Metals |
Synonyms |
Abavit B; Bichloride of mercury; Bichlorure de mercure [French]; Calo-Clor; Calochlor; Calocure; Chlorid rtutnaty [Czech] Chlorure mercurique [French]; Chlorure mercurique [ISO-French]; Cloruro di mercurio [Italian]; Corrosive mercury chloride; Corrosive sublimate; Dichloromercury; Fungchex; Hydraargyrum bichloratum; Mercuric bichloride; Mercury bichloride; Mercury chloride (HgCl2) Mercury dichloride; Mercury perchloride; Mercury(2+) chloride; Mercury(II) chloride; Perchloride of mercury; Quecksilber chlorid [German]; Sublimat [Czech]; Sublimate; Sulem; Sulema [Russian]; UN1624; [ChemIDplus] |
Category |
Metals, Inorganic Compounds |
Description |
White solid; [CHRIS] |
Sources/Uses |
Used as an antiseptic, disinfectant, veterinarian medication, and dry battery electrolyte; Used to stain and preserve wood, embalm tissues, develop photos, print fabrics, tan leather, treat furs, electroplate aluminum, etch steel, and separate gold from lead; Used in the past as an insecticide/fungicide and a catalyst to produce vinyl chloride; [HSDB] Used in photography (platinum toner and intensifier); [www.ci.tucson.az.us/arthazards/medium.html] |
Comments |
Corrosive to skin; [Quick CPC] Highly toxic by ingestion; Lethal dose for inorganic mercury salts is about 1 gram; A skin and eye irritant; [CHEMINFO MSDS] See "Mercury, inorganic compounds." |
Exposure Assessment |
BEI |
Total inorganic mercury in urine = 35 ug/g creatinine, sample prior to shift; Total inorganic mercury in blood = 15 ug/L, sample end of shift at end of workweek |
Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
Yes |
TLV (ACGIH) |
0.02 mg/m3, as Hg |
PEL (OSHA) | Ceiling(OSHA) = 0.1 mg/m3, as Hg |
MAK |
0.1 mg/m3, as Hg |
Lethal Concentration |
LCLo (mice) = 300 mg/m3/10 min |
Explanatory Notes |
VP = 1 mm Hg @ 136.2 degrees C; [HSDB] Exposure values are for "Mercury, inorganic compounds, as Hg." |
Adverse Effects |
Skin Sensitizer |
Yes |
Neurotoxin |
Sensorimotor Neuropathy |
Nephrotoxin |
Yes |
Reproductive Toxin |
Yes |
Links to Other NLM Databases |
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