#MERCURY ELEMENT SKIN#

It was in the mining of the element where mercury first became associated with human illness beginning as tremors and progressing to severe mental derangement.

The symbol for the planet was used by the alchemists to identify mercury before it was given its more modern chemical notation.Īlthough mercury’s mystique held the promise of power, many of the ancients also knew it to be toxic. Speed and mobility were characteristics of the Roman god, Mercury, who served as a messenger to all the other gods and shared his name with the planet nearest the sun. Mercury is also known as “quicksilver,” a reference to its mobility. Mercury’s chemical symbol, Hg, comes from the Greek “hydrargyrum” meaning liquid silver. Each civilization had its own legends about mercury, and it was used as everything from a medicine to a talisman. To learn more about these monitoring requirements and methods, please attend the International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP), which is being held virtually this July.Intriguing because of its silver hue and liquid state at room temperature, elemental mercury was known to the ancient Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Hindus. For those reasons, it’s imperative that all individuals and companies using mercury in their operations implement robust monitoring protocols to ensure it remains at same atmospheric concentrations. Indeed, the relatively recent advent of atomic clocks also take advantage of mercury’s properties, while it’s a key ingredient in paper manufacturing, paint production and other industrial processes.Īlthough it still has its uses, it should not be forgotten that mercury is a dangerous element which can endanger human health and compromise the environmental future of our planet. Glass mirrors may contain mercury in its vaporous form, while pendulum clocks which rely on temperature to tell the time can use mercury as well. Meanwhile, mercury is also still deployed in sundry other devices and consumer products.

#MERCURY ELEMENT SKIN#

In fact, elemental mercury is virtually harmless if ingested or absorbed through the skin – but potentially fatal if inhaled. These items can be particularly dangerous if smashed, since the gas can be easily inhaled and wreak swift damage on the lungs, kidneys, brain and other vital organs. In its gaseous form, mercury can be effectively used in vapour lamps, fluorescent light bulbs and neon signs. As an effective amalgam, it can prolong the lifespan of other, more corrosive metals, which is one reason why it’s so popular in industrial processes and locations. Mercury is an essential component in many electrical appliances and apparatuses, from semi-conductors and batteries to lubricants and electric propulsion systems. Many governments – including the British and American ones – now strictly regulate the amount of mercury allowed in such products. Many brands of mascara still contain thimerosal, while skin lightening creams take advantage of mercury’s melatonin-blocking capabilities to artificially whiten the skin of their customers. Cosmeticsĭespite the concerning effects of mercury on the human body, it has been an integral ingredient in many dermatological and beauty products for decades. It also appears on the ingredients list of certain balms, ointments and medications used to treat skin irritation, cuts and other wounds. It can also be deployed in a sphygmomanometer to gauge the blood pressure of a patient, as well as in silver amalgams for dental fillings. Perhaps the most famous application of mercury is in a thermometer used to read temperature, whether corporeal or atmospheric. Here’s a brief rundown of some of the most commonplace from yesteryear and today, many of which are still operational despite its high toxicity and poisoning potential. While this expanded knowledge has meant that mercury has been replaced by safer and more sustainable element for a number of its applications, it still remains a key ingredient in many devices, treatments and processes today.

Of course, the fact that it is one of the most toxic metals on the planet remained unbeknownst to humans for the vast majority of time, with the short- and long-term effects of mercury exposure through prolonged exposure to the substance only recently discovered by the scientific community. A naturally occurring metallic element in our environment, mercury has been utilised by mankind for various applications for millennia.

Mercury element