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{{Otheruses4|the element|other uses|Mercury}}
{{infobox mercury}}
'''Mercury'''({{IPAEng|ˈmɜrkjʊri}}), also called '''quicksilver''', is a [[chemical element]] with the symbol '''Hg''' ([[Latinized]] {{lang-el|''hydrargyrum''}}, meaning ''watery'' or ''liquid'' ''silver'') and [[atomic number]] 80. A heavy, silvery [[d-block]] [[metal]], mercury is one of six elements that are [[liquid]] at or near [[room temperature]] and pressure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/inorganic/faq/why-is-mercury-liquid.shtml|title=Why is mercury a liquid at STP?|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007|publisher=General Chemistry Online at Frostburg State University|author=Fred Senese}}</ref> The others are the metals [[caesium]], [[francium]], [[gallium]], and [[rubidium]], and the [[non-metal]] [[bromine]]. Of these, only mercury and [[bromine]] are liquids at [[standard conditions for temperature and pressure]].


you suck..
Mercury is used in [[thermometer]]s, [[barometer]]s, [[manometer]]s, [[sphygmomanometer]]s, [[float valve]]s, and other scientific apparatus, though concerns about the element's toxicity have led to mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers being largely phased out in clinical environments in favour of [[alcohol]]-filled, digital, or [[thermistor]]-based instruments. It remains in use in a number of other ways in scientific and scientific research applications, and in [[amalgam]] material for [[dental restoration]]. Mercury is mostly obtained by reduction from the [[mineral]] [[cinnabar]].

Mercury occurs in deposits throughout the world and it is harmless in an insoluble form, such as mercuric sulfide, but it is poisonous in soluble forms such as [[mercuric chloride]] or [[methylmercury]].

== History ==
Mercury was known to the ancient [[China|Chinese]] and [[India]]ns,<ref>{{cite web | title=Mercury — Element of the ancients | publisher=''Center for Environmental Health Sciences, [[Dartmouth College]]'' | url=http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/TXSHhg.shtml | accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref> and was found in [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] tombs that date from 1500 BC.<ref>{{cite web | title=Mercury and the environment — Basic facts | publisher=''[[Environment Canada]], Federal Government of Canada'' | year=2004 | url=http://www.ec.gc.ca/MERCURY/EN/bf.cfm | accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref> In [[China]], [[India]], and [[Tibet]], mercury use was thought to prolong life, heal fractures, and maintain generally good health. China's first emperor, [[Qin Shi Huang|Qin Shi Huang Di]] &mdash; said to have been buried in a tomb that contained rivers of flowing mercury, representative of the rivers of China &mdash; was driven insane and killed by mercury pills (failing liver, poison, brain death) intended to give him eternal life.<ref>{{cite web | title=Qin Shihuang | publisher=''Ministry of Culture, [[People's Republic of China]]'' | year=2003 | url=http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22854.htm | accessdate=2008-03-27}}</ref> The [[ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] used mercury in ointments; the [[ancient Egyptians]] and the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] used it in [[cosmetics]]. By 500 BC mercury was used to make [[amalgams]] with other metals. The Indian word for [[alchemy]] is ''[[Rasavātam]]'' which means "the way of mercury".

[[Alchemy|Alchemists]] often thought of mercury as the [[Prima materia|First Matter]] from which all metals were formed. They believed that different [[metals]] could be produced by varying the quality and quantity of [[sulfur]] contained within the mercury. The purest of these was [[gold]], and mercury was required for the [[wiktionary:Transmutation|transmutation]] of base (or impure) metals into gold as was the goal of many alchemists.

Hg is the modern [[chemical symbol]] for mercury.It comes from ''hydrargyrum'', a [[Latin]]ized form of the [[Greek language|Greek]] word ''`Υδραργυρος'' (''hydrargyros''), which is a compound word meaning "water" and "silver" &mdash; since it is liquid, like water, and yet has a silvery metallic sheen. The element was named after the Roman god [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]], known for speed and mobility. It is associated with the planet [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]. The astrological symbol for the planet is also one of the alchemical symbols for the metal. Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name became the common name.

== Occurrence ==

Mercury is an extremely rare element in the Earth's crust, having an average crustal abundance by mass of only 0.08 parts per million. However, because it does not blend [[geochemistry|geochemically]] with those elements that constitute the majority of the crustal mass, mercury ores can be extraordinarily concentrated considering the element's abundance in ordinary rock. The richest mercury ores contain up to 2.5% mercury by mass, and even the leanest concentrated deposits are at least 0.1% mercury (12,000 times average crustal abundance).

It is found either as a native metal (rare) or in [[cinnabar]], [[corderoite]], [[livingstonite]] and other [[mineral]]s, with cinnabar (Hg[[sulfur|S]]) being the most common ore. Mercury ores usually occur in very young orogenic belts where rock of high density are forced to the crust of the Earth, often in hot springs or other [[volcano|volcanic]] regions.

[[Image:Mercury output2.PNG|thumb|left|Mercury output in 2005]]
Beginning in 1557, with the invention of the [[patio process]] to extract silver from ore using mercury, mercury became an essential resource in the economy of Spain and its American colonies. More than 100,000 tons of mercury were mined from the region of [[Huancavelica]], [[Peru]], over the course of three centuries following the discovery of deposits there in 1563. The patio process and later [[pan amalgamation]] process continued to create great demand for mercury to treat silver ores until the late 1800s.

Former mines in [[Italy]], the [[United States]] and [[Mexico]] which once produced a large proportion of the world supply have now been completely mined out or, in the case of [[Slovenia]] and [[Spain]], shut down due to the fall of the price of mercury. [[Nevada]]'s [[McDermitt]] Mine, the last mercury mine in the United States, closed in 1992. The price of mercury has been highly volatile over the years and in 2006 was $650 per 76-pound flask.<ref>http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/mercury/mercumcs07.pdf]</ref>

Mercury is extracted by heating cinnabar in a current of air and condensing the vapor. The equation for this extraction is
:HgS + O<sub>2</sub> → Hg + SO<sub>2</sub>

In 2005, China was the top producer of mercury with almost two-thirds global share followed by [[Kyrgyzstan]].<ref>World Mineral Production 2001-05, British Geological Survey, NERC, London, 2007</ref> Several other countries are believed to have unrecorded production of mercury from copper [[electrowinning]] processes and by recovery from effluents.

Former mercury mines may be suited for constructive re-use. For example, in 1976 [[Santa Clara County, California]] purchased the [[Almaden Quicksilver County Park|historic Almaden Quicksilver Mine]] and created a county park on the site, after conducting extensive safety and environmental analysis of the property.

See also ''[[:Category:Mercury minerals]]'', ''[[:Category:Mercury mines]]''.

=== Releases in the environment ===
[[Image:Mercury fremont ice core.png|thumb|right|Amount of atmospheric mercury deposited at Wyoming's Upper Fremont Glacier over the last 270 years]]
Preindustrial deposition rates of mercury from the atmosphere may be in the range of 4 ng/L in the western USA. Although that can be considered a natural level of exposure, regional or global sources have significant effects. Volcanic eruptions can increase the atmospheric source by 4&ndash;6 times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://toxics.usgs.gov/pubs/FS-051-02/|title=Glacial Ice Cores Reveal A Record of Natural and Anthropogenic Atmospheric Mercury Deposition for the Last 270 Years|publisher=United States Geological Survey (USGS)|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref>

Natural sources such as [[volcano]]es are responsible for approximately half of atmospheric mercury emissions.<ref name=Pacyna/> The human-generated half can be divided into the following estimated percentages:
* 65% from stationary combustion, of which coal-fired power plants are the largest aggregate source (40% of U.S. mercury emissions in 1999).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm#14|title=What is EPA doing about mercury air emissions?|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> This includes power plants fueled with gas where the mercury has not been removed. Emissions from coal combustion are between one and two orders of magnitude higher than emissions from oil combustion, depending on the country.<ref name=Pacyna/>
* 11% from gold production. The three largest point sources for mercury emissions in the U.S. are the three largest gold mines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/176/ |title=Winged Mercury and the Golden Calf|author=Rebecca Solnit|date=September/October 2006|publisher=Orion Magazine|accessdate=2007-12-03}}</ref>
* 6.8% from [[non-ferrous metal]] production, typically [[smelter]]s.
* 6.4% from [[cement]] production.
* 3.0% from [[waste disposal]], including [[Municipal waste|municipal]] and [[hazardous waste]], [[crematoria]], and [[sewage sludge]] incineration. This is a significant underestimate due to limited information, and is likely to be off by a factor of two to five.<ref name=Pacyna/>
* 3.0% from [[caustic soda]] production.
* 1.4% from [[pig iron]] and [[steel]] production.
* 1.1% from mercury production, mainly for batteries.
* 2.0% from other sources.
The above percentages are estimates of the global human-caused mercury emissions in 2000, excluding biomass burning, an important source in some regions.<ref name=Pacyna>{{cite journal |journal= Atmos Environ |date=2006 |volume=40 |issue=22 |pages=4048–63 |title= Global anthropogenic mercury emission inventory for 2000 |author= Pacyna EG, Pacyna JM, Steenhuisen F, Wilson S |doi=10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.03.041}}</ref>

[[Image:CFL bulb mercury use environment.svg|thumb|left|Mercury use of compact fluorescent bulb vs. incandescent bulb when powered by electricity generated from [[coal]]. [[Coal power in the United States]] accounts for approximately 50% of all power produced.]]
Mercury also enters into the environment through the disposal (e.g., landfilling, incineration) of certain products. Products containing mercury include: auto parts, [[battery (electricity)|batteries]], fluorescent bulbs, medical products, thermometers, and thermostats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/epr/products/mercury.htm|title=Mercury-containing Products|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> Due to health concerns (see below), [[waste management|toxics use reduction]] efforts are cutting back or eliminating mercury in such products. For example, most [[thermometer]]s now use pigmented [[alcohol]] instead of mercury. Mercury thermometers are still occasionally used in the medical field because they are more accurate than alcohol thermometers, though both are being replaced by electronic thermometers. Mercury thermometers are still widely used for certain scientific applications because of their greater accuracy and working range.

The [[United States]] [[Clean Air Act (1990)|Clean Air Act]], passed in 1990, put mercury on a list of toxic pollutants that need to be controlled to the greatest possible extent. Thus, industries that release high concentrations of mercury into the environment agreed to install maximum achievable control technologies (MACT). In March 2005 EPA rule<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/air/mercuryrule/|title=Clean Air Mercury Rule|publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> added power plants to the list of sources that should be controlled and a national [[emissions trading|cap and trade]] rule was issued. States were given until November 2006 to impose stricter controls, and several States are doing so. The rule was being subjected to legal challenges from several States in 2005 and decision was made in 2008. The Clean Air Mercury Rule was struck down by a Federal Appeals Court on February 8, 2008. The rule was deemed not sufficient to protect the health of persons living near coal fired power plants. The court opinion cited the negative impact on human health from coal fired power plants' mercury emissions documented in the EPA Study Report to Congress of 1998. (http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov/docs/common/opinions/200802/05-1097a.pdf)

Historically, one of the largest releases was from the Colex plant, a lithium-isotope separation plant at Oak Ridge. The plant operated in the 1950s and 1960s. Records are incomplete and unclear, but government commissions have estimated that some two million pounds of mercury are unaccounted for.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = [[Department of Energy]] | work = [http://www.hss.energy.gov/healthsafety/ohre/new/findingaids/epidemiologic/oakridge1/index.html Y-12 Mercury Task Force Files: A Guide to Record Series of the Department of Energy and its Contractors] | title = Introduction | url = http://www.hss.energy.gov/healthsafety/ohre/new/findingaids/epidemiologic/oakridge1/intro.html}}</ref>

One of the worst [[industrial disasters]] in history was caused by the dumping of mercury compounds into [[Minamata]] Bay, Japan. The [[Chisso Corporation]], a [[fertilizer]] and later petrochemical company, was found responsible for polluting the bay from 1932&ndash;1968. It is estimated that over 3,000 people suffered various deformities, severe mercury poisoning symptoms or death from what became known as [[Minamata disease]].

== Applications ==
[[Image:Barometer mercury column hg.jpg|thumb|right|Mercury column to measure pressure]]
Mercury is used primarily for the manufacture of industrial chemicals or for electrical and electronic applications. It is used in some [[thermometer]]s, especially ones which are used to measure high temperatures (In the United States, non-prescription sale of mercury fever thermometers is banned by a number of different states and localities). Other uses:
* Mercury was used inside [[wobbler (fishing)]] lures. Its heavy, liquid form made it useful since the lures made an attractive irregular movement when the mercury moved inside the plug. Such use was stopped due to environmental concerns, but illegal preparation of modern fishing plugs has occurred.
* Mercury [[sphygmomanometer]]s.
* The lense of old lighthouses used to float and rotate in a bath of mercury which acted like a bearing.
* Mercury [[barometer]]s, [[diffusion pump]]s, [[Mercury coulometer|coulometers]], and many other laboratory instruments. As an opaque liquid with a high density and a nearly linear thermal expansion, it is ideal for this role.
* The [[triple point]] of mercury, -38.8344 °C, is a fixed point used as a temperature standard for the International Temperature Scale ([[ITS-90]]).
* In some gaseous [[Gas filled tube|electron tubes]], including [[ignitron]]s, [[thyratron]]s, and [[mercury arc rectifier]]s
* Gaseous mercury is used in [[mercury-vapour lamp]]s and some "[[neon sign]]" type advertising signs and [[fluorescent lamps]].
* Mercury is used to construct [[liquid mirror|liquid-mirror telescopes]]. The mirror is formed by rotating liquid mercury on a disk, the parabolic form of the liquid thus formed reflecting and focusing incident light. Such telescopes are cheaper than conventional large mirror telescopes by up to a factor of 100, but the mirror cannot be tilted and always points straight up.
* Liquid mercury was sometimes used as a [[coolant]] for [[nuclear reactor]]s; however, [[sodium]] is proposed for reactors cooled with liquid metal, because the high density of mercury requires much more energy to circulate as coolant.
* Liquid mercury has been proposed as a working fluid for a [[heat pipe]] type of cooling device for spacecraft heat rejection systems or radiation panels.
* Mercury was a propellant for early [[ion engines]] in [[electric propulsion]] systems. Advantages were mercury's high molecular weight, low ionization energy, low dual-ionization energy, high liquid density and liquid storability at [[room temperature]]. Disadvantages were concerns regarding environmental impact associated with ground testing and concerns about eventual cooling and condensation of some of the propellant on the spacecraft in long-duration operations. The first spaceflight to use electric propulsion was a mercury-fueled ion thruster [[SERT-1 (spaceship)|SERT-1]] launched by [[NASA]] at its [[Wallops Flight Facility]] in 1964. SERT stands for Space Electric Rocket Test. The SERT-1 flight was followed up by the SERT-2 flight in 1970. Mercury and [[caesium]] were preferred propellants for ion engines until [[Hughes Research Laboratory]] performed studies finding [[xenon]] gas to be a suitable replacement. Xenon is now the preferred propellant for ion engines as it has a high molecular weight, little or no reactivity due its [[noble gas]] nature, and has a high liquid density under mild cryogenic storage.
* Experimental [[Mercury vapour turbine]]s were proposed to increase the efficiency of fossil-fuel electrical power plants.
* Mercury was once used in the [[Amalgam#Mining|amalgamation]] process of refining [[gold]] and [[silver]] [[ore]]s. This polluting practice is still used by the ''garimpeiros'' (gold miners) of the [[Amazon basin]] in [[Brasil]] and by illegal miners in [[South Africa]].
* Mercury is still used in some cultures for [[folk medicine]] and ceremonial purposes which may involve [[ingestion]], [[Injection (medicine)|injection]], or the sprinkling of elemental mercury around the home. The former two procedures, especially, are extremely hazardous and the latter is nearly as so because mercury spreads easily and is therefore ingested.
* [[Alexander Calder]] built a [[mercury fountain]] for the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 [[World's Fair]] in Paris. The fountain is now on display at the [[Fundació Joan Miró]] in [[Barcelona]].
* Used in [[electrochemistry]] as part of a secondary reference [[electrode]] called the [[Mercury(I) chloride|calomel electrode]] as an alternative to the [[Standard hydrogen electrode|Standard Hydrogen Electrode]]. This is used to work out the [[electrode potential]] of [[half cell]]s.
* Used in [[Cold Cathode]] (also generalised under the Neon Sign Industry) lighting to increase the success of [[ionization]] and [[conductivity]] in [[Argon]] filled lamps, an [[Argon]] filled lamp without Mercury will have dull spots and will fail to light correctly. Lighting containing Mercury can only be [[bombarding|bombarded]]/oven pumped once. When added to [[neon]] filled tubes the light produced will be inconsistent red/blue spots until the initial burning-in process is completed; eventually it will light a consistent dull off-blue colour.
* Mercury was once used as a gun barrel bore cleaner.
'''Miscellaneous uses:''' [[mercury switch]]es (including [[Light switch#Mercury switches|home Mercury Light Switches]] installed prior to 1970), tilt switches used in old fire detectors, tilt switches in many modern home thermostats, [[electrode]]s in some types of [[electrolysis]], [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]] ([[mercury battery|mercury cells]], including for [[sodium hydroxide]] and [[chlorine]] production, handheld games, and [[alkaline battery|alkaline batteries]]), [[catalyst]]s, [[insecticide]]s, [[dental amalgam]]s/preparations and [[liquid mirror]] telescopes.
* [[Thiomersal]], (called ''Thimerosal'' in the United States), an [[organic compound]] used as a [[preservative]] in [[vaccine]]s, though this use is in decline.<ref>{{cite web | author = FDA | url = http://www.fda.gov/Cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm | title = Thimerosal in Vaccines | accessdaymonth=25 October|accessyear=2006}}</ref>
[[Image:Germicidal UV discharge tube glow.jpg|thumb|right|The ultraviolet glow of a mercury vapor discharge in a [[Germicidal lamp]].]]
'''Historical uses:''' preserving wood, developing [[daguerreotype]]s, [[silvering]] [[mirror]]s, anti-fouling paints (discontinued in 1990), [[herbicide]]s (discontinued in 1995), handheld maze games, cleaning, and road levelling devices in cars. Mercury compounds have been used in [[antiseptic]]s, [[laxative]]s, [[antidepressant]]s, and in [[syphilis|antisyphilitics]]. It was also allegedly used by [[Western Allies|allied spies]] to sabotage [[Nazi Germany|German]] planes. A mercury paste was applied to bare [[aluminium]], causing the metal to rapidly [[Corrosion|corrode]]. This would cause mysterious structural failures{{Fact|date=March 2008}}.

In [[Islamic Spain]] it was used for filling decorative pools.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197605/the.city.of.al-zahra.htm|title=The City of Al-Zahra|journal=Saudi Aramco World|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007|volume=27|issue=5|author=Tor Eigeland}}</ref>

In some applications, mercury can be replaced with less toxic but considerably more expensive [[galinstan]] [[alloy]].

A new type of [[atomic clock]], using mercury instead of [[caesium]], has been demonstrated. Accuracy is expected to be within one second in 100 million years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1435488.stm|publisher=BBC|title=World's most precise clock developed|date=2001-07-12|accessdate=2007-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/update/upd010723.htm#Time NIST|title=New Atomic Clock Could Be 1,000 Times Better Than Today’s Best|journal=NIST update|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007|date=[[July 23]], [[2001]]}}</ref>

=== Hat making ===
From the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries, a process called "carroting" was used in the making of [[felt]] hats. Animal skins were rinsed in an orange solution (the term "carroting" arose from this color) of the mercury compound [[mercuric nitrate]], Hg(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·2H<sub>2</sub>O.<ref>Concise Inorganic Chemistry- J.D.Lee</ref> This process separated the fur from the pelt and matted it together. This solution and the vapors it produced were highly toxic. The [[United States Public Health Service]] banned the use of mercury in the felt industry in December 1941. The psychological symptoms associated with mercury poisoning are said by some to have inspired the phrase "mad as a hatter", though etymological study suggests that the phrase is actually much older and unrelated to hatters - see ''[[hatter]]'' for commentary on the origin of the phrase. [[Lewis Carroll]]'s "[[Mad Hatter]]" in his book ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]'' was a play on words based on the older phrase, but the character himself does not exhibit symptoms of mercury poisoning.<ref>{{cite journal |journal= Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) |date=1983 |volume=287 |issue=6409 |pages=1961 |title= Did the Mad Hatter have mercury poisoning? |author= Waldron HA |pmid=6418283 |url=http://pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=1550196&pageindex=1}}</ref>

=== Cosmetics ===
Mercury is widely used in the manufacture of [[mascara]]. In 2008, Minnesota became the first state in the US to ban intentionally added mercury in cosmetics, giving it a tougher standard than the federal government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/Fashion/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1233503|publisher=MSN|title=Mercury in your eye?|date=2008-02-16|accessdate=2008-02-16}}</ref>

=== Production of chlorine and caustic soda ===
[[Chlorine]] is produced from [[sodium chloride]] (common salt, NaCl) using [[electrolysis]] to separate the metallic [[sodium]] from the chlorine gas. Usually the salt is dissolved in water to produce a brine. By-products of any such [[chloralkali process]] are caustic soda ([[sodium hydroxide]] (NaOH)) and hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>). By far the largest use of mercury<ref>''The CRB Commodity Yearbook'' (annual) 2000, p. 173, ISSN 1076-2906 </ref><ref name="USEPA">{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r02104/600r02104chap3.pdf|author=Leopold, Barry R.|year=2002|title="Chapter 3: Manufacturing Processes Involving Mercury" ''Use and Release of Mercury in the United States''|publisher=National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> in the late 1900s was in the mercury cell process (also called the [[Castner-Kellner process]]) where [[Sodium|metallic sodium]] is formed as an [[amalgam]] at a [[cathode]] made from mercury; this sodium is then reacted with water to produce sodium hydroxide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurochlor.org/animations/mercury-cell.asp| title=Chlorine Online Diagram of mercury cell process| publisher=Euro Chlor| accessdate=2006-09-15}}</ref> Many of the industrial mercury releases of the 1900s came from this process, although modern plants claimed to be safe in this regard.<ref name="USEPA"/> After about 1985, all new chloralkali production facilities that were built in the United States used either [[Sodium hydroxide#Methods of production|membrane cell or diaphragm cell technologies]] to produce chlorine.

=== Dentistry ===
The element mercury is the main ingredient in [[amalgam|dental amalgams]]. Controversy over the [[health effects]] from the use of mercury amalgams began shortly after its introduction into the western world, nearly 200 years ago,.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} In 1845, The [[American Society of Dental Surgeons]], concerned about mercury poisoning, asked its members to sign a pledge that they would not use amalgam.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} The ASDS disbanded in 1865.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} The [[American Dental Association]] formed three years after and currently takes the position that "amalgam is a valuable, viable and safe choice for dental patients,"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/positions/statements/amalgam.asp|title=Statement on Dental Amalgam|publisher=American Dental Association|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> In 1993, the [[United States Public Health Service]] reported that "amalgam fillings release small amounts of mercury vapor," but in such a small amount that it "has not been shown to cause any ... adverse health effects". This position is not shared by all governments{{Fact|date=January 2008}} and there is an ongoing [[dental amalgam controversy]]. A recent review by an FDA-appointed advisory panel rejected, by a margin of 13-7, the current FDA report on amalgam safety,{{Fact|date=February 2007}} stating the report's conclusions were unreasonable given the quantity and quality of information currently available. Panelists said remaining uncertainties about the risk of so-called silver fillings demanded further research; in particular, on the effects of mercury-laden fillings on children and the fetuses of pregnant women with fillings, and the release of mercury vapor on insertion and removal of mercury fillings.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}
In Norway new dental amalgam fillings are banned from [[1 January]] [[2008]]. The Minister of the Environment and International Development announced the ban in a press release [[21 December]] [[2007]]. The ban affects the use of mercury in nearly all products.<ref> Bans mercury in products, Press release, 21.12.2007, Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim[http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/md/Press-Centre/Press-releases/2007/Bans-mercury-in-products.html?id=495138]</ref>
The ban is implemented by changes in The Product Control Act.<ref> Amendments in Product regulations in Norway from 1 January 2008[http://www.regjeringen.no/Upload/MD/Vedlegg/Forskrifter/product_regulation_amendment_071214.pdf] </ref>

=== Medicine ===
Mercury and its compounds have been used in medicine, although they are much less common today than they once were, now that the toxic effects of mercury and its compounds are more widely understood.

[[Mercury(I) chloride]] (also known as [[calomel]] or mercurous chloride) has traditionally been used as a [[diuretic]], topical [[disinfectant]], and [[laxative]]. [[Mercury(II) chloride]] (also known as mercuric chloride or corrosive sublimate) was once used to treat [[syphilis]] (along with other mercury compounds), although it is so toxic that sometimes the symptoms of its toxicity were confused with those of the syphilis it was believed to treat.<ref>Pimple, K.D. Pedroni, J.A. Berdon, V. (2002, July 09). [http://www.indiana.edu/~poynter/sas/lb/syphilis.html Syphilis in history]. Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions at Indiana University-Bloomington. Retrieved on April 17, 2005.</ref> It was also used as a disinfectant. [[Blue mass]], a pill or syrup in which mercury is the main ingredient, was prescribed throughout the 1800s for numerous conditions including constipation, depression, child-bearing and toothaches.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/07/0717_lincoln.html|journal=National Geographic|title=Did Mercury in "Little Blue Pills" Make Abraham Lincoln Erratic?|date=[[July 17]], [[2001]]|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007|author=Hillary Mayell}}</ref> In the early 20th century, mercury was administered to children yearly as a laxative and dewormer, and it was used in teething powders for infants. The mercury containing organohalide [[Mercurochrome]] is still widely used but has been banned in some countries such as the U.S.

Since the 1930s some [[vaccine]]s have contained the preservative [[thiomersal]], which is metabolized or degraded to [[ethyl mercury]]. Although it was [[Thiomersal controversy|widely speculated]] that this mercury-based preservative can cause or trigger [[autism]] in children, scientific studies showed no evidence supporting any such link.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Pediatrics |year=2004 |volume=114 |issue=3 |pages=793–804 |title= Thimerosal-containing vaccines and autistic spectrum disorder: a critical review of published original data |author= Parker SK, Schwartz B, Todd J, Pickering LK |doi=10.1542/peds.2004-0434 |pmid=15342856 |url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/114/3/793}} [http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/115/1/200 Erratum] (2005). ''Pediatrics'' 115 (1): 200. {{DOI|10.1542/peds.2004-2402}} PMID 15630018.</ref> Nevertheless thiomersal has been removed from or reduced to trace amounts in all U.S. vaccines recommended for children 6 years of age and under, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine.<ref>{{cite web |date=[[2007-09-06]] |url=http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm |accessdate=2007-10-01 |title= Thimerosal in vaccines |publisher= Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration}}</ref>

Mercury in the form of one of its common ores, [[cinnabar]], remains an important component of [[Traditional Chinese Medicine|Chinese]], [[Tibetan medicine|Tibetan]], and [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] medicine. As problems may arise when these medicines are exported to countries that prohibit the use of mercury in medicines, in recent times, less toxic substitutes have been devised.

Today, the use of mercury in medicine has greatly declined in all respects, especially in developed countries. [[Mercury-in-glass thermometer|Thermometers]] and [[sphygmomanometer]]s containing mercury were invented in the early 18th and late 19th centuries, respectively. In the early 21st century, their use is declining and has been banned in some countries, states and medical institutions. In 2002, the [[U.S. Senate]] passed legislation to phase out the sale of [[Medical prescription|non-prescription]] mercury thermometers. In 2003, [[Washington]] and [[Maine]] became the first states to ban mercury blood pressure devices.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?type=document&;ID=782|title=Two States Pass First-time Bans on Mercury Blood Pressure Devices|date=[[June 2]], [[2003]]|publisher=Health Care Without Harm|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> Mercury compounds are found in some [[over-the-counter drug]]s, including topical [[antiseptics]], stimulant [[laxative]]s, [[diaper rash|diaper-rash]] [[ointment]], [[eye drops]], and [[nasal spray]]s. The [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]] has “inadequate data to establish general recognition of the safety and effectiveness,” of the mercury ingredients in these products.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=310.545&SearchTerm=mercury| title=Title 21—Food and Drugs Chapter I—Food and Drug Administration Department of Health and Human Services Subchapter D—Drugs for Human Use Code of federal regulations|publisher=United States Food and Drug Administration|accessdaymonth=1 May|accessyear=2007}}</ref> Mercury is still used in some diuretics, although substitutes now exist for most therapeutic uses.

=== Gold mining ===
Mercury was historically extensively used in hydraulic gold mining, in order to help the gold to sink through the flowing water-gravel mixture. Thin mercury particles may form mercury-gold amalgam and therefore increase the gold recovery rates. Large scale use of mercury stopped in the 1960s. However mercury is still used in small scale, often clandestine, gold prospection. Total use of mercury in [[placer mining]] in California has been estimated to more than 4500 tons (10,000,000 lbs).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3014/ |title=Mercury Contamination from Historical Gold Mining in California |accessdate=2008-02-26 |authors=Charles N. Alpers, Michael P. Hunerlach, Jason T. May, and Roger L. Hothem |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey}}</ref>

== Isotopes ==
{{main|isotopes of mercury}}
There are seven stable [[isotope]]s of mercury with Hg-202 being the most abundant (29.86%). The longest-lived [[radioisotope]]s are <sup>194</sup>Hg with a [[half-life]] of 444 years, and <sup>203</sup>Hg with a half-life of 46.612 days. Most of the remaining radioisotopes have half-lives that are less than a day. <sup>199</sup>Hg and <sup>201</sup>Hg are the most often studied [[Nuclear magnetic resonance|NMR]]-active nuclei, having spins of 1/2 and 3/2 respectively.

== Reactivity ==
Mercury dissolves to form [[amalgam]]s with gold, zinc and many metals. Because iron is an exception to this rule, iron flasks have been traditionally used to trade mercury. When heated, mercury also reacts with oxygen in air to form [[mercury oxide]], which then can be decomposed by further heating to higher temperatures.

Since it is below hydrogen in the [[reactivity series]] of metals, mercury does not react with most acids, such as dilute [[sulfuric acid]], though oxidizing acids such as concentrated [[sulfuric acid]] and [[nitric acid]] or [[aqua regia]] dissolve it to give sulfate and nitrate and chloride. Similar to silver, mercury reacts with atmospheric [[hydrogen sulfide]]. Mercury even reacts with solid sulfur flakes, which is used in [[mercury spill kit]]s to absorb mercury vapors (spill kits also use activated charcoal and powdered zinc).

== Compounds ==
The most important salts are
* [[Mercury(I) chloride]] ([[calomel]]) is sometimes still used in [[medicine]], acousto-optical filters and as a standard in electrochemistry;
* [[Mercury(II) chloride]] (which is very [[corrosion|corrosive]], [[sublimation (chemistry)|sublimes]] and is a violent poison);
* [[Mercury fulminate]], (a [[detonator]] widely used in [[explosive]]s);
* [[Mercury(II) oxide]], the main [[oxide]] of mercury;
* [[Mercury(II) sulfide]] (found naturally as the ore [[cinnabar]], still used in oriental medicine, or [[vermilion]] which is a high-grade [[paint pigment]]);
* [[Mercury(II) selenide]] a [[semiconductor]];
* [[Mercury(II) telluride]] a [[semiconductor]]; and
* [[Mercury cadmium telluride]] and [[mercury zinc telluride]], [[infrared detector]] materials.

Laboratory tests have found that an electrical discharge causes the [[noble gases]] to combine with mercury vapor. These compounds are held together with [[van der Waals force]]s and result in Hg·Ne, Hg·Ar, Hg·Kr, and Hg·Xe (see [[exciplex]]). Organic mercury [[chemical compound|compounds]] are also important. [[Methylmercury]] is a dangerous compound that is widely found as a [[pollution|pollutant]] in water bodies and streams.

The discovery of [[Mercury(IV) fluoride]] (HgF<sub>4</sub>) was announced in September 2007.

See also ''[[:Category:Mercury compounds]]''.

== Safety ==
{{see also|mercury poisoning}}
[[Image:Skull and crossbones.svg|left|40px]]
Mercury and most of its compounds are extremely toxic and are generally handled with care; in cases of spills involving mercury (such as from certain [[mercury-in-glass thermometer|thermometers]] or [[fluorescent light bulb]]s) specific cleaning procedures are used to avoid toxic exposure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm|title=Mercury: Spills, Disposal and Site Cleanup|publisher=Environmental Protection Agency|accessdate=2007-08-11}}</ref> It can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes, so containers of mercury are securely sealed to avoid spills and evaporation. Heating of mercury, or compounds of mercury that may decompose when heated, is always carried out with adequate ventilation in order to avoid exposure to mercury vapor. The most toxic forms of mercury are its [[organic compounds]], such as [[dimethylmercury]] and [[methylmercury]]. Mercury can cause both chronic and acute poisoning.

=== Occupational exposure ===
Due to the health effects of mercury exposure, industrial and commercial uses are regulated in many countries. The [[World Health Organization]], [[OSHA]], and [[NIOSH]] all treat mercury as an occupational hazard, and have established specific occupational exposure limits. Environmental releases and disposal of mercury are regulated in the U.S. primarily by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]].

[[Case control studies]] have shown effects such as tremors, impaired cognitive skills, and sleep disturbance in workers with chronic exposure to mercury vapour even at low concentrations in the range 0.7–42 μg/m<sup>3</sup>.<ref name="ngim">{{cite journal|author=Ngim CH, Foo SC, Boey KW, and Keyaratnam J | title=Chronic neurobehavioral effects of elemental mercury in dentists | journal=British Journal of Industrial Medicine | volume=49 | pages=782&ndash;790 | year=1992}}</ref><ref name="liang">{{cite journal|author=Liang YX, Sun RK, Chen ZQ, and Li LH | title=Psychological effects of low exposure to mercury vapor: Application of computer-administered neurobehavioral evaluation system | journal=Environmental Research | volume=60 | pages=320&ndash;327}}</ref>

A study has shown that acute exposure (4&ndash;8 hours) to calculated elemental mercury levels of 1.1 to 44 mg/m<sup>3</sup> resulted in chest pain, [[dyspnea]], cough, [[hemoptysis]], impairment of pulmonary function, and evidence of interstitial [[pneumonitis]].<ref>McFarland, RB and H. Reigel. J Occup Med. 1978 Aug;20(8):532-4.</ref>

Acute exposure to mercury vapor has been shown to result in profound central nervous system effects, including psychotic reactions characterized by delirium, hallucinations, and suicidal tendency. Occupational exposure has resulted in broad-ranging functional disturbance, including [[erethism]], irritability, excitability, excessive shyness, and insomnia. With continuing exposure, a fine tremor develops and may escalate to violent muscular spasms. Tremor initially involves the hands and later spreads to the eyelids, lips, and tongue. Long-term, low-level exposure has been associated with more subtle symptoms of erethism, including fatigue, irritability, loss of memory, vivid dreams, and depression.<ref>WHO (1976) Environmental Health Criteria 1: Mercury, Geneva, World Health Organization, 131 pp.</ref><ref>WHO. Inorganic mercury. Environmental Health Criteria 118. World Health Organization, Geneva, 1991.</ref>

===Treatment===
Research on the treatment of mercury poisoning is limited. Currently available drugs for acute mercurial poisoning include chelators N-acetyl-D,L-[[penicillamine]] (NAP), [[British Anti-Lewisite]] (BAL), [[2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid]] (DMPS), and [[dimercaptosuccinic acid]] (DMSA). In one small study including 11 construction workers exposed to elemental mercury, patients were treated with DMSA and NAP.<ref>Bluhm, RE, et. Al. Hum Exp Toxicol 1992 May;11(3):201-10.</ref> Chelation therapy with both drugs resulted in the mobilization of a small fraction of the total estimated body mercury. DMSA was able to increase the excretion of mercury to a greater extent than NAP.

=== Mercury in fish ===
{{Citations missing|date=November 2007}}
[[Image:WarningMercurySign.jpg|thumb|right|California sign warning about the risks from mercury-containing fish.]]
[[Fish]] and [[shellfish]] have a natural tendency to concentrate mercury in their bodies, often in the form of [[methylmercury]], a highly toxic organic compound of mercury. Species of fish that are high on the [[food chain]], such as [[shark]], [[swordfish]], [[king mackerel]], [[albacore tuna]], and [[tilefish]] contain higher concentrations of mercury than others. This is because mercury is stored in the muscle tissues of fish, and when a predatory fish eats another fish, it assumes the entire body burden of mercury in the consumed fish. Since fish are less efficient at depurating than accumulating methylmercury, fish-tissue concentrations increase over time. Thus species that are high on the [[food chain]] amass body burdens of mercury that can be ten times higher, or more, than the species they consume. This process is called [[biomagnification]]. The first occurrence of widespread [[mercury poisoning]] in humans occurred this way in [[Minamata, Kumamoto|Minamata]], [[Japan]], now called [[Minamata disease]].

The complexities associated with mercury transport and environmental fate are described by USEPA in their 1997 Mercury Study Report to Congress.<ref>{{cite web | title = Mercury Study Report to Congress | author = EPA | accessdaymonth = 23 January|accessyear= 2008 | year = 1997 | url = http://www.epa.gov/mercury/report.htm}}</ref> Because methylmercury and high levels of elemental mercury can be particularly toxic to unborn or young children, organizations such as the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. EPA]] and FDA recommend that women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant within the next one or two years, as well as young children avoid eating more than 6 ounces (one average meal) of fish per week.<ref>{{cite web | title = What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish | author = FDA/EPA | accessdaymonth = 25 October|accessyear= 2006 | year = 2004 | url = http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html}}</ref><!--dan the image didn't work-->

In the United States the FDA has an action level for methyl mercury in commercial marine and freshwater fish that is 1.0 parts per million (ppm), and in Canada the limit for the total of mercury content is 0.5 ppm. The [[Got Mercury?]] website includes a calculator for determining mercury levels in fish.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0310-02.htm |title= Got Mercury? Online Calculator Helps Seafood Consumers Gauge Mercury Intake |date= [[March 9]], [[2004]] |work= [http://www.commondreams.org/ Common Dreams] |accessdate= 2008-03-30}}</ref>

Species with characteristically low levels of mercury include [[shrimp]], [[tilapia]], [[salmon]], [[pollock]], and [[catfish]] (FDA March 2004). The FDA characterizes shrimp, catfish, pollock, salmon, and canned light tuna as low-mercury seafood, although recent tests have indicated that up to 6 percent of canned light tuna may contain high levels.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/health/chi-0601270193jan27,1,7450296.story|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=[[January 27]], [[2006]]|title=FDA tests show risk in tuna|accessdate=2007-05-01}}</ref>

=== Mercury and aluminium ===
Mercury readily combines with [[aluminium]] to form a [[mercury-aluminum amalgam]] when the two pure metals come into contact. However, when the amalgam is exposed to air, the aluminium oxidizes, leaving behind mercury. The oxide flakes away, exposing more mercury amalgam, which repeats the process. This process continues until the supply of amalgam is exhausted, and since it releases mercury, a small amount of mercury can “eat through” a large amount of aluminium over time, by progressively forming amalgam and relinquishing the aluminium as oxide.

Aluminium in air is ordinarily protected by a molecule-thin layer of its own oxide, which is not porous to oxygen. Mercury coming into contact with this oxide does no harm. However, if any elemental aluminium is exposed (even by a recent scratch), the mercury may combine with it, starting the process described above, and potentially damaging a large part of the aluminium before it finally ends.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ornitz, Barry L.|date= 15 December 1998|title=Aluminium Alloys and Mercury and FEATHERS|publisher=USENET sci.engr.chem|url=http://groups.google.com/group/sci.engr.chem/browse_frm/thread/c30064068daf7248/81ca1868e63b884f?lnk=st&q=Aluminium+Alloys+and+Mercury+and+FEATHERS#81ca1868e63b884f |accessdate=2006-01-29}}</ref>

For this reason, restrictions are placed on the use and handling of mercury in proximity with aluminium. In particular, mercury is not allowed aboard aircraft under most circumstances because of the risk of it forming amalgam with exposed aluminium parts in the aircraft.

==Regulations==
In the [[European Union]], Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (See [[Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive|RoHS]]) bans mercury from certain electrical and electronic products, and limits the amount of mercury in other products to less than 1000 [[Parts per million|ppm]].<ref>''Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment'' 2002/95/EC, Article 4 Paragraph 1. "Member States shall ensure that, from 1 July 2006, new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market does not contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)." http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2003:037:0019:0023:EN:PDF </ref>

Besides, in the European Union there are restriction for mercury concentration in packaging (the limit is 100 ppm for sum of mercury, [[lead]], [[hexavalent chromium]] and [[cadmium]]) and batteries (the limit is 5 ppm).<ref>[http://www.eiatrack.org/s/1785 Mercury compounds in European Union]</ref>

In July 2007, European Union also banned mercury in non-electrical measuring devices, such as thermometers and barometers. The ban applies to new devices only, and contains exemptions for the healthcare sector and a two-year grace period for manufacturers of barometers.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL0988544920070710 EU bans mercury in barometers, thermometers]</ref>

In [[Norway]], there is a total ban on use of mercury in the manufacturing as well as import or export of mercury products. The ban is effective as of January 1, 2008.<ref>[http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1198237627.85 Norway to ban mercury]</ref> Lakes in Norway are already polluted by mercury.<ref>[http://www.environment.no/templates/pagewide____2734.aspx Mercury in lake sediments, map]</ref>

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* Kolev, S.T. Bates, N. ''[http://www.intox.org/databank/documents/chemical/mercury/ukpid27.htm Mercury (UK PID)].'' National Poisons Information Service: Medical Toxicology Unit (London Centre).
* Jahn, Robert G. "Physics of Electric Propulsion" McGraw-Hill Series in Missile and Space Technology, McGraw-Hill, (1968)
{{refend}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons|Mercury (element)}}
{{wiktionary|mercury}}
* [http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@rn+@rel+7439-97-6 NLM Hazardous Substances Databank &ndash; Mercury]
* [http://www.globalmercuryproject.org/ UNIDO/UNDP/GEM Global Mercury Project]
* [http://www.epa.gov/ostwater/fishadvice/advice.html EPA fish consumption guidelines]
* [http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts46.html ATSDR &mdash; ToxFAQs: Mercury]
* [http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Hg/index.html WebElements.com &ndash; Mercury]
* [http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m1599.htm Material Safety Data Sheet &ndash; Mercury]
* [http://www.oceana.org/mercury Mercury Contamination in fish and Source Control, Oceana]
* [http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Elements/080/index.s7.html Hg 80 Mercury]
* [http://www.chem.unep.ch/mercury/Report/Final%20Assessment%20report.htm Global Mercury Assessment report 2002] by the [[United Nations Environment Programme|UNEP]].
* [http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/index.asp Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Mercury Contamination in Fish guide] &mdash; [[NRDC]]
*[http://www.gotmercury.org Got Mercury? calculator]
*[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jan25/0,4670,JapanTaintedTuna,00.html Japanese Sushi Lovers Shrug at Mercury]
*[http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mercury/ NIOSH Mercury Topic Page]
{{clear}}
{{Compact periodic table}}

[[Category:Chemical elements]]
[[Category:Transition metals]]
[[Category:Coolants]]
[[Category:Mercury (element)]]
[[Category:Recyclable materials]]
[[Category:Occupational safety and health]]

[[ar:زئبق]]
[[ast:Mercuriu (elementu)]]
[[bn:পারদ (মৌল)]]
[[be:Ртуць]]
[[bs:Živa (element)]]
[[bg:Живак]]
[[ca:Mercuri (element)]]
[[cv:Ртуть]]
[[cs:Rtuť]]
[[co:Argentuvivu]]
[[cy:Mercwri]]
[[da:Kviksølv]]
[[de:Quecksilber]]
[[et:Elavhõbe]]
[[el:Υδράργυρος]]
[[es:Mercurio (elemento)]]
[[eo:Hidrargo]]
[[eu:Merkurio (elementua)]]
[[fa:جیوه]]
[[fr:Mercure (chimie)]]
[[fur:Mercuri (element)]]
[[ga:Mearcair (airgead beo)]]
[[gv:Mercur]]
[[gl:Mercurio (elemento)]]
[[ko:수은]]
[[hy:Սնդիկ]]
[[hr:Živa]]
[[io:Merkurio]]
[[id:Raksa]]
[[is:Kvikasilfur]]
[[it:Mercurio (elemento)]]
[[he:כספית]]
[[sw:Zebaki]]
[[ht:Mèki (eleman)]]
[[ku:Zîbeq]]
[[la:Hydrargentum]]
[[lv:Dzīvsudrabs]]
[[lb:Quecksëlwer]]
[[lt:Gyvsidabris]]
[[jbo:margu]]
[[hu:Higany]]
[[mi:Konuoi]]
[[ms:Raksa]]
[[nah:Yōliamochitl]]
[[nl:Kwik]]
[[ja:水銀]]
[[no:Kvikksølv]]
[[nn:Kvikksølv]]
[[oc:Mercuri (element)]]
[[nds:Quecksülver]]
[[pl:Rtęć]]
[[pt:Mercúrio (elemento químico)]]
[[ro:Mercur]]
[[qu:Yaku qullqi]]
[[ru:Ртуть]]
[[scn:Mercuriu (elementu chìmicu)]]
[[simple:Mercury (element)]]
[[sk:Ortuť (nerast)]]
[[sl:Živo srebro]]
[[sr:Жива]]
[[sh:Živa]]
[[fi:Elohopea]]
[[sv:Kvicksilver]]
[[ta:பாதரசம்]]
[[th:ปรอท]]
[[vi:Thủy ngân]]
[[tr:Cıva]]
[[uk:Ртуть]]
[[ur:پارہ]]
[[zh-yue:水銀]]
[[zh:汞]]

Revision as of 20:37, 15 May 2008

you suck..

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