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The path leading to the synthesis of mercuric oxycyanide stretches back to the days when chemists scrambled to build new compounds for both industrial and scientific ends, pushing boundaries with little regard for risks. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, researchers focused on expanding organomercury chemistry. Around this period, chemists discovered that combining mercury salts with cyanide delivered some peculiar results, among them oxycyanide compounds. Their goal was simple: develop versatile reagents for laboratory analysis and create safe alternatives to highly sensitive mercury compounds. Over the decades, the drive toward finding safer explosives and reagents led to efforts at desensitization. Desensitized mercuric oxycyanide emerged as a result—far less brisant than the pure material, easier to manage, and recommended in laboratory manuals for those willing to handle something that promised both utility and risk. Early work cataloged its dangers and uses: scientists paid close attention to its toxic legacy, linking it to broader stories of mercury’s industrial toll. Even so, some chemists saw value in its unique blend of reactivity and relative stability, keeping it relevant in niche applications long after safer alternatives appeared.
Mercuric oxycyanide in its desensitized form serves as an intermediate that finds itself somewhere between a hazardous high explosive and a manageable laboratory reagent. Chemically, it falls under the category of inorganic mercurial compounds, built from elements that sometimes do not play nicely together. By binding mercury with cyanide, and further introducing oxygen, chemists designed a molecule that holds on to its explosive reputation yet resists detonation under routine handling. This change comes from combining it with stabilizers—often inert materials or solvents—meant to temper its volatility and cut down the chance of accidental ignition, making it possible for small-scale laboratories and research centers to continue using it for carefully delineated applications. The legacy of such compounds means strict oversight, even in the present age of advanced chemical safety.
One cannot ignore the hallmark characteristics of this compound. Desensitized mercuric oxycyanide usually looks like a pale powder, less prone to cake together or break apart involuntarily. Its crystalline lattice, shaped by the interaction of mercury ions with cyanide and oxide groups, tends to remain stable under standard conditions but can become unpredictable if exposed to direct heat, friction, or acidic environments. Its solubility in water stays limited but it reacts quickly in the presence of acids or certain metal ions, often liberating toxic gases. Chemically, it holds on to the dual nature of mercury and cyanide, meaning it demands respect in every handling situation. The desensitization does not strip away its chemical instability at the molecular level; it mainly helps reduce physical shock sensitivity—a critical distinction that seasoned chemists keep in mind whenever they pull it from the shelf.
Modern regulatory standards call for unwavering precision in reporting compound identity and hazards. Containers of this desensitized material show a clear label, typically listing the molecular formula (Hg2OCN2), gross percentage content, batch number, desensitizing agent used, and a set of red-letter warnings about toxicity and storage protocols. Regulatory bodies such as OSHA and REACH mandate inclusion of hazard pictograms, signal words (DANGER), and explanations about the dual toxicological and explosive risks. Detailed storage advice appears, covering temperature limits (usually below ambient room temperatures), recommended atmospheric dryness, and strict segregation from acids or reducing agents. Most suppliers attach safety data sheets (SDS) accessible upon purchase, pounding home the importance of containment, personal protective equipment, and emergency procedures in case anything goes awry.
In synthesizing mercuric oxycyanide, chemists typically bring together mercuric chloride and potassium cyanide in an aqueous solution, adding a calculated amount of sodium hydroxide to promote the formation of the oxy compound. The reaction settles out the mercuric oxycyanide after several hours of slow stirring and careful temperature control, as even modest heat can tip things into the dangerous zone. Filtration and repeated washing with cold water remove unreacted cyanide, and a final rinse with an alcohol solvent helps to purify the pale product. To achieve desensitization, chemists add inert powders like boric acid or kaolin, or suspend crystals in a gel of dilute dextrin. This extra step stabilizes the particles, limits dusting, and minimizes the chance of an accidental energetic release. Over the years, small improvements have streamlined the process, but at its core, the method demands consistency, vigilance, and a healthy respect for both old-school chemistry and modern forensic lessons about laboratory accidents.
Few compounds spark as much anxiety in the lab as those involving both mercury and cyanide, and mercuric oxycyanide’s behavior under reactive conditions makes this caution justified. It decomposes violently on sustained heating or contact with strong acids, spewing out mercury fumes and cyanogen gas, both of which carry notorious reputations for toxicity. Strong oxidizers accelerate its breakdown, and interaction with sulfides can precipitate mercury(II) sulfide, a step sometimes used in chemical analysis for mercury content. Even modest modification attempts—swapping stabilizers or changing crystal morphology—must carefully consider the delicate balance between stability and utility. Most researchers today shy away from such manipulations unless absolutely necessary, choosing instead to study decomposition pathways to understand environmental fate and improve waste disposal protocols. The compound’s legacy in modification work—dating to spectroscopy and explosive testing during the world wars—serves as a reminder of chemistry’s double-edged power: what makes a molecule interesting often makes it hazardous.
Across scientific catalogues and technical reports, mercuric oxycyanide answers to several aliases: basic mercuric cyanide, mercury oxycyanide, and mercuric cyanate. In older texts and patent filings, one finds references to “desensitized mercury cyanide explosive” or “safety mercuric oxycyanide”—terms that underscore attempts to rebrand or clarify a reputation fraught with risk. Regulatory filings list its proper IUPAC name and CAS number, aligning nomenclature consistently to minimize mix-ups in laboratory inventories. This pattern of shifting names reflects both evolving scientific standards and regulatory demands to minimize ambiguity, particularly in settings where a mis-labeled vial can trigger disaster.
Nobody with experience wants to downplay the risks here. The cathartic lesson of industrial accidents—Bhopal, Minamata, and many smaller lab mishaps—hangs over every decision involving toxic or explosive substances. Mercuric oxycyanide demands top-tier controls even in its desensitized form. Best practices require use of fume hoods, strict exclusion of acids, and storage in double-walled containers. Researchers avoid working alone. Laboratories train staff on spill response, and medical antidotes (like sodium thiosulfate and dimercaprol) sit ready on benches. Waste must be kept from municipal channels, instead going to licensed hazardous disposal facilities. Operational standards extend to periodic stock checks, mandatory reporting of losses or near-misses to safety officers, and routine engagement with evolving safety guidance—especially as legal frameworks adapt to growing public awareness about mercury’s legacy harms and cyanide’s persistent dangers.
Fewer industries use this compound today than during its heyday, but its uses in specialty sectors hold on, mainly in research fields that track the behaviour of mercury in analytical chemistry. In forensic science it once featured in spot tests for cyanide or mercury contamination. Specialty laboratories and military agencies sometimes used it in initiating explosives under tightly regulated conditions, taking advantage of its controlled sensitivity. Its persistence in curricula comes as an educational artifact, a specimen for demonstrating hazardous chemistry and the necessity of safety protocol literacy. Environmental chemists occasionally employ it for calibrating analytical instruments. Regulatory restrictions, along with the arrival of safer alternatives, have shrunk its footprint massively—but a handful of high-security research labs continue to prize its unique characteristics in historical studies, sample analyses, and legacy explosive decommissioning projects.
For some time now, the main thrust in research has shifted away from new applications and toward understanding legacy risks, environmental fate, and remediation. Scientists track how mercuric oxycyanide degrades in soil and water, seeking out inert byproducts and ways to trap escaping mercury or cyanide. Studies often involve simulation of spill scenarios, review of fate in landfill leachate, and development of remediation techniques (like sulfur-based sequestration or activated carbon adsorption). A smaller camp works on methods to further desensitize the compound using organic matrix binders or encapsulation techniques, hoping to lower handling barriers for essential legacy tasks. Academic partnerships drive most of this work, with funding flowing through environmental protection agencies and industrial cleanup programs rather than military or industrial users. Researchers build models combining toxicology, kinetics, and environmental behavior, creating knowledge that will—hopefully—prevent a repeat of past mistakes, and leading to more efficient, less harmful ways to deal with leftover stocks.
Few substances have prompted as much scrutiny from toxicologists as mercury and cyanide compounds, and mercuric oxycyanide earns attention precisely because it combines the worst risks from both families. Acute exposure can lead to severe respiratory and neurological effects; chronic exposure, especially in unventilated labs, triggers insidious buildup of mercury in tissues, often manifesting in cognitive decline and motor disruptions. Cyanide’s rapid disruption of cellular respiration throws an additional wrench in recovery—health professionals must act almost immediately to have hope of treating severe poisoning. Studies on lab animals and cell cultures confirm these effects, and recent epidemiological reviews use case reports from the last century to track incidences of lab accidents, accidental inhalation, and chronic exposure outcomes. Slow progress in remediation, coupled with the inherent dangers, drives calls for strict replacement of the compound with modern simulants and digital modelling in most settings. Even still, ongoing research helps define clearer threshold limits and better antidotal protocols, lowering risk but never erasing it entirely.
Looking ahead, the future for mercuric oxycyanide grows dim, at least for large-scale production and commercial use. Emerging green chemistry benchmarks push industries away from persistent and bioaccumulative toxins. Where alternatives exist—and for most functions today, they do—regulators push for phase-out through permitting, taxes, and outright bans. That said, small niches will linger: historical studies, select forensic applications, and military legacy cleanups keep demand above zero. Nanotechnology and molecular encapsulation may yet bring about specialized, far safer versions for tightly controlled research purposes, but adoption will always be throttled by cost, fear, and regulatory burden. Those of us who grew up around the tail end of “wild west” laboratory culture recognize both the power and peril of substances like this: chemistry has taught us that progress always comes with costs, and the debate over compounds like mercuric oxycyanide stands as a case study in why experience, historical memory, and wise regulation matter most.
Mercuric oxycyanide brings back memories of afternoons hunched over dense chemistry textbooks. It’s a compound made with mercury, oxygen, and cyanide—three words that spark concern when used together. In older laboratories, this chemical found a role as an explosive and as a reagent for delicate organic synthesis. Researchers tried to keep it under control. “Desensitized” means folks tried to handle it with less risk of it blowing up in someone’s face.
Years ago, chemists saw value in this compound for specific chemical reactions. Its main pull was the cyanide group, which could donate atoms in organic synthesis. In more dangerous times, it also found its way into detonators for explosives—an uncomfortable thought these days. You won’t find mercuric oxycyanide lying around modern labs, though. The push for safer, less toxic materials in schools and factories sent these chemicals to the back shelf. Strong regulations and safety guidelines helped phase out anything as hazardous as mercury and cyanide packed into one crystal structure.
I remember working under a seasoned chemist who shook with anger at the mention of mercury compounds. Nasty health stories pile up around mercury. It damages the nervous system, hurts the kidneys, and passes through the skin with ease. Cyanide stops cells from using oxygen, causing harm or death in minutes. Combining both, mercuric oxycyanide takes danger to another level. Regular accidents led to strict storage rules; even “desensitized” forms could turn deadly with a strong shock, heat, or a slip in the lab. People treated these bottles like venomous snakes—very carefully, if at all.
Government agencies placed this compound and others like it on restricted lists. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration lay out rules for handling or disposing of old stock. Nobody wants these chemicals in public, school storerooms, or anywhere curious hands might reach. The real risk lies in unexpected exposure or improper disposal, which brings mercury and cyanide into water or soil. I saw old warehouses still sitting on forgotten bottles, an accident waiting to happen until cleanup crews sorted it out.
Safer alternatives help keep hazardous chemicals like mercuric oxycyanide out of reach. Chemists now turn to less toxic reagents for organic reactions. Educational curriculums teach students how to respect chemical safety without handling the most dangerous substances. Disposal services safely remove and neutralize these chemicals, using strict hazard protocols. Small steps make big differences over time. By switching to less hazardous tools and supporting chemical take-back programs, people keep communities safer and the environment cleaner. Drawing on decades of lessons, the materials science field continues finding creative, smarter solutions—proof that we don’t need to gamble with chemicals as risky as mercuric oxycyanide anymore.
Mercuric oxycyanide isn’t the kind of chemical you find in a teenager’s science kit. It’s rare for good reasons: its main claim to fame has been its powerful toxicity and its instability. In labs and the chemical industry, just hearing its name is enough to send folks hunting for their thickest gloves and most reliable gas masks. I learned in college that even “desensitized” forms don’t offer a free pass; extra chemicals or coatings can lessen an explosion risk but can’t erase the danger. Once you see a fume hood covered with warning tape because someone dropped an ampule—nobody forgets that sour-metal taste in the air or the headache that follows.
Latex gloves won’t cut it. You need nitrile or neoprene gloves, a well-fitted chemical respirator, and splash-proof goggles. A lab coat is good, but a chemical apron or even a full suit makes more sense when the substance can wreck organs from just getting on your skin. One professor once pointed out burns on his forearm from getting too comfortable unsealing a jar—he wore the scar, and the lesson, for years. Even with desensitization, the tiniest exposure can cost someone’s health.
Work inside a certified fume hood, every time. No exceptions, even if you only need to weigh a small quantity. The gas isn’t just smelly; it’s deadly. Proper ventilation is your most loyal friend in the lab. Sealing containers and handling tools—spatulas, weighing paper, even broom handles—shouldn’t ever come in direct contact with skin. I remember one overconfident grad student who thought a splash guard was enough. He ended up in the ER with breathing trouble because vapors crept over the flimsy setup.
Spills demand fast, direct action. Absorb with mercury-specific spill kits, not sawdust or paper towels. Keep water and open flames away. Even the smallest spark can turn a bad day into a disaster. Anything used to clean should go straight into marked hazardous waste bins, never regular trash. My mentor kept a “no short cuts” rule taped to the cabinet: if you skip a step, you don’t come back in the lab until a safety officer says so. It saved careers—and maybe lives.
Store away from heat, acids, or reducing agents. Airtight, shatterproof containers belong inside corrosion-proof secondary containment, under lock and key. Don’t keep what you won’t use within six months. There’s a reason older chemicals get purged regularly: even stabilized forms break down. Never trust a faded label, and always check inventory logs. Peer oversight keeps complacency in check—nobody wants to be the reason for an evacuation.
Complacency invites accidents. Clear training, drills, and routine checks matter more than fancy signage. If anything feels risky, report it. Most chemical mishaps I’ve seen happened because someone tried to fix a near-miss on their own. The best labs foster a culture where people ask for help, double-check each other, and keep communication open. Advanced sensors and digital logs help, but nothing beats a team that takes every job seriously and treats every warning sign as real.
Safety around mercuric oxycyanide isn’t just about ticking boxes or following rules written on a forgotten poster. It’s a daily, lived responsibility. Every safe day in the lab rests on hard-won lessons—many learned the hard way. Treating this substance with the respect it still demands remains the smartest prevention anybody can give themselves, their coworkers, or the next student who walks through the lab door.
Mercuric oxycyanide desensitized might not get much discussion outside a research lab, but stories about it don’t leave you. Many seasoned chemists speak quietly about its reactive nature. For those who’ve never worked with it, there’s one piece of advice: Never take storage lightly. Even “desensitized” options carry risks—enough to require attention to every detail.
You won’t see this compound kept in ordinary chemical cabinets. Specialized, locked cabinets, designed for explosives and sensitive materials, help keep both the environment and people out of harm’s way. Doors must close tightly to reduce air and humidity from creeping in. There’s a reason reputable institutions insist this chemical stays away from heat, light, vibration, and—very simply—other people. Set it apart from flammable or reducing agents. It doesn’t take much for things to go wrong if someone mixes the wrong bottles together.
People working with temperature-sensitive compounds learn to recognize how even small changes in weather can affect stability. Mercuric oxycyanide desensitized sits in the category where a jump in room temperature or an unnoticed leak spells danger. Using a climate-controlled cabinet protects everyone involved. Silica gel packs or similar agents mop up moisture, since water exposure can degrade the chemical and make it more hazardous.
Ask anyone who’s dealt with reactive substances: packaging isn’t just a formality. Secure glass containers with ground-glass stoppers help prevent contamination. Double containment—think a sealed inner container inside a secondary plastic or metal vessel—puts a stop to accidental leaks. A simple label won’t cut it. Large, clear warnings mark each package so no one opens the wrong bottle by mistake. These aren’t just good habits—they’ve saved lives.
If you walk past the supply cabinet in a university’s synthesis lab, staff logs every entry and exit. It’s less about bureaucracy, more about making sure only trained hands touch these substances. People know who used the chemical, when, and for what purpose. For commercial or academic settings, assigning responsibility to a single, experienced handler helps prevent accidents. Foolproof? No. Better than risking the curious or the unprepared taking a chance? Every time.
Storage runs hand in hand with disposal. No one wants to find half-forgotten chemicals stored in the corner, slowly degrading. Regular inventory checks weed out old stock before problems arise. Emergency procedures—clear evacuation routes, ready spill kits, immediate communication with local poison control—aren’t overkill. They’re hard-earned lessons from places where mistakes have happened. Labs and facilities keep up-to-date safety data sheets within arm’s reach at all times.
Storing mercuric oxycyanide desensitized takes vigilance and respect for what can go wrong. Investing in the right storage, climate control, and staff training stops most problems before they start. Keeping detailed records and shifting older inventory reduces the risk further. Ultimately, a safe lab or storage environment comes down to treating every step as if it matters. Because with chemicals like these, they all do.
Mercuric oxycyanide [desensitized] might sound detached and technical, but its story sheds light on some real dangers hidden in industrial chemistry. I remember walking through the storerooms of a research lab years ago, and the safety officer pulled me aside. He whispered, “That shelf right there? That’s why we have the emergency shower.” Much like those mystery jars, mercuric oxycyanide [desensitized] owes a lot of its danger to its mercury content and those cyanide groups. Even in a “desensitized” form, the health hazards carry plenty of weight.
Everyone’s heard tales of mercury poisoning—the hatters in old England tipping into madness, birds’ nests empty as entire marshes died out. Chronic exposure to mercury sneaks up: shivering hands, lost words, aches that morph and twist. Skin absorbs it. Lungs take it in. Over time, the body collects it like a dirty secret in the brain, liver, and kidneys. Children bear the brunt worse than adults since their brains and nerves grow at a breakneck pace.
Mercuric oxycyanide doesn’t magically shed these health threats. Touch it, breathe in any dust, or let it lick at skin, and mercury starts filtering through the body. The kidneys labor to push the toxin out, and sometimes nerves die quietly before anyone sees the problem coming. That’s not fearmongering—it’s the pattern seen in scientific journals and health studies for decades.
It’s easy to think of cyanide from crime novels or spy stories. But in anything blended with mercury, every risk multiplies. Even minute bits that might escape as gas or residue go straight for the core of human biology—the cells. Cyanide blocks the machinery that cells use to breathe. People exposed to enough can drop suddenly: racing heart, confusion, convulsions, then coma.
Desensitization doesn’t mean completely safe either. Chemical stabilization tames the beast to an extent, but the core elements persist. Accidents break chemicals down. Heat, physical shock, or even chemical mixing can strip away that safety buffer, letting old threats resurface. In a world full of busy labs, mislabeling and spills happen more than anyone likes to admit.
Anyone working with mercuric oxycyanide needs to know its background. Wearing gloves or a mask ranks as basic hygiene, not paranoia, in facilities where this compound sits on shelves. Real protection includes good ventilation, spill-proof storage, and closed handling systems. Staff get training not only in routine handling but simulated emergencies. Some labs install mercury sensors—simple, honest technology that can catch tiny leaks before they ruin a whole floor’s air supply.
Government agencies like OSHA and NIOSH offer thorough guidelines, but too many places fall back on “we’ve always done it this way.” Human experience teaches something else: risk creeps in when folks grow tired, or one step gets skipped. Nobody wants their health wrecked by a moment’s carelessness, especially with toxins that linger in the body for years. Safe disposal matters just as much—tracing old chemical waste in water or soil throws up warning flares for entire communities.
Risk doesn’t disappear with a single fix. Labs and factories need protocols that actually work on a busy day. Double-checking labels and quantities takes a few extra minutes and saves far more trouble. Investing in emergency gear, regular air quality monitoring, and solid waste removal keeps staff from inheriting older generations’ mistakes. Education echoes loudest—folks who understand the risks don't skip steps or cut corners. Organizations owe people transparency and proper resources to keep toxic legacies out of the news, and out of the doctor’s office.
Handling hazardous chemicals like mercuric oxycyanide comes with a serious set of risks that many in labs or manufacturing often underestimate. Mercuric oxycyanide doesn’t just sound intimidating; its composition brings together mercury and cyanide. Each one separately spells out health risks, and when combined, their danger multiplies. Both components attack the nervous system, and cyanide in particular suffocates cells by blocking oxygen use. These threats emphasize the need for proactive safety, not just reaction after the fact.
I’ve seen how panic leads to poor decisions during chemical incidents. Immediate evacuation often gets overlooked because people think small amounts aren’t a big deal. Vapor from a spill doesn’t respect lab boundaries; it will drift and endanger anyone without warning. So the right start is clear: everyone who is not equipped or trained must get out and stay out. Only those with proper training and full personal protective equipment—think chemical-resistant suits, gloves, and respirators with Hg/CN-rated cartridges—should ever approach the scene.
Ventilating the area keeps exposure low, but only open doors and windows if this won’t spread vapors to other spaces or the outdoors where people might be exposed. I once saw a well-intentioned worker try to sweep up spilled powder, only to end up inhaling dust and spreading it. Dry sweeping and vacuuming with standard shop vacs need to be avoided. Specialized vacuum units with HEPA filtration designed for toxic dust fit the job.
Sorbent pads made for mercury work for small liquid spills, while for dry forms, scooping materials with non-sparking tools into sealing containers prevents dust from taking over the room. I trust only rigid, air-tight containers; flimsy bags or open-top boxes might as well be a sieve. Labeling hazardous waste immediately and moving it to a designated isolation area prevents future accidents.
If skin or eye contact occurs, flooding the exposed part with water for at least fifteen minutes buys time before deeper harm sets in. Removing contaminated clothing requires urgency, too—leaving toxic residue sitting on the skin gives poisons a head start. I’ve talked to workers saved only by quick thinking at eyewash stations, before long-term harm set in. Inhalation or ingestion? Skip the do-it-yourself thinking. Call emergency services and make sure the person gets medical attention without delay. Mercury and cyanide prove unpredictable once they get inside a body.
Most near-misses I’ve witnessed share a common cause: complacency. Employees start trusting shortcuts or assuming nothing will go wrong because yesterday went smoothly. Regular safety drills, genuine training—not just checking a box—and a visible spill kit in every area where these chemicals get used or stored make a world of difference. Employees speak up and stop unsafe tasks when the culture backs them. Even outside regulated environments, learning from incidents and sharing details with colleagues lowers risk for everyone working with hazardous materials. Safety paperwork gets ignored far too often, but learning from actual case studies and encouraging open reflection instead of blame lowers the chance of seeing headlines about avoidable accidents.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | Dicyanomercury(II) |
| Other names |
Cyanomercury(2+) oxyde Mercuricyanate Mercuric oxycyanide Mercury oxycyanide Oxycyanide of mercury Oxycyanure de mercure |
| Pronunciation | /ˌmɜː.kjʊ.rɪk ˌɒk.sɪˈsaɪ.ə.naɪd/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 12633-84-4 |
| Beilstein Reference | 3241196 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:53118 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL504692 |
| ChemSpider | 60846 |
| DrugBank | DB14089 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 05f6ab11-9284-42fb-871e-e2f01f5aaa22 |
| EC Number | 205-577-7 |
| Gmelin Reference | 83427 |
| KEGG | C18721 |
| MeSH | D008640 |
| PubChem CID | 16211356 |
| RTECS number | OG3850000 |
| UNII | V68RW9279E |
| UN number | 1589 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | Hg2OCN2 |
| Molar mass | 284.63 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 4.422 g/cm³ |
| Solubility in water | Soluble |
| log P | -3.8 |
| Vapor pressure | Negligible |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -44.0e-6 cm³/mol |
| Dipole moment | 0 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 183.3 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | −153.7 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -265 kJ/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | D08AK01 |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling | GHS02, GHS06, GHS09 |
| Pictograms | GHS06,GHS09 |
| Signal word | Danger |
| Hazard statements | H300 + H310 + H330: Fatal if swallowed, in contact with skin or if inhaled. H373: May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure. |
| Precautionary statements | P210, P220, P221, P260, P262, P264, P270, P273, P280, P284, P301+P310, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P320, P308+P313, P330, P361, P363, P370+P378, P391, P403+P233, P405, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 3-4-2-W |
| Explosive limits | 0.14 to 5.9% |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LDLO oral rat 25 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50: 56 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
| NIOSH | WH5900000 |
| PEL (Permissible) | 0.1 mg/m3 |
| REL (Recommended) | 0.05 mg/m³ |
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | IDHL: "5 mg/m3 |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Mercury(II) cyanide Mercury(II) oxide Mercuric chloride |
