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Product Name: Zinc Amalgam
Chemical Formula: Zn(Hg)
Uses: Allyl chloride reduction, laboratory research, inorganic synthesis
Synonyms: Zinc Mercury Amalgam
Manufacturer: Specific supplier details vary; usually available from major chemical suppliers
Contact Information: Refer to label or supplier for emergency contact numbers
Recommended Restrictions: Intended for industrial, laboratory use only. Not for food, drug, or household use
Hazard Classification: Acute toxicity (oral, dermal, inhalation), Skin irritation, Eye irritation, Specific target organ toxicity
Signal Word: Danger
Hazard Statements: Harmful if swallowed. Causes skin and eye irritation. May damage the nervous system through prolonged or repeated exposure from mercury vapor. Water pollutant.
Pictograms: Skull and crossbones, Exclamation mark, Health hazard, Environment
Precautionary Statements: Avoid breathing vapors or dust. Prevent release to the environment. Wear protective gloves and eye protection. Wash hands thoroughly after handling
Zinc (Zn): CAS Number 7440-66-6, Composition approx. 45–55%
Mercury (Hg): CAS Number 7439-97-6, Composition approx. 45–55%
Impurities: Potential trace metals, less than 1%, from raw materials
Mixture Type: Alloy, forms by direct mixing of liquid mercury with solid zinc granules or powder
Inhalation: Remove from exposure to fresh air. Seek medical help if symptoms such as headache, weakness, nausea, or dizziness occur. Administer artificial respiration if breathing stops.
Skin Contact: Remove contaminated clothing and rinse skin with water and soap for at least fifteen minutes. Look for persistent irritation and seek medical advice.
Eye Contact: Immediately flush eyes with running water for at least twenty minutes. Do not let the victim rub their eyes. Get medical attention right away.
Ingestion: Rinse mouth with water if the person is conscious. Do not induce vomiting unless directed to do so by medical staff. Get medical help as quickly as possible
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Use dry chemical powder, sand, or carbon dioxide. Water spray possible for larger fires.
Specific Hazards: Intense heating releases toxic mercury vapor and zinc oxide fumes. Decomposition may generate corrosive gases. Contact with oxidizers suggests explosion risk.
Protective Equipment and Precautions for Firefighters: Wear self-contained breathing apparatus and chemical-resistant suit. Avoid inhaling fumes. Approach from upwind, keep runoff from fire out of water sources
Personal Precautions: Evacuate unprotected personnel, ventilate area. Wear chemically resistant gloves, safety goggles, and suitable respiratory protection. Avoid direct contact and inhalation of dust and vapors.
Environmental Precautions: Do not allow amalgam, mercury, or wash water to reach drains, sewers, or water sources. Notify authorities of large spills.
Cleanup/Methods for Containment: Collect spilled amalgam with shovel or scoop and place in sealed chemical waste drums. Use mercury spill kits. For small quantities, use sulfur or zinc powder to amalgamate residual mercury dust, collecting solid material for hazardous disposal
Handling Precautions: Work under a chemical fume hood or in a well-ventilated area. Keep away from heat, sparks, open flame, and sources of static electricity. Never eat, drink, or smoke during use.
Storage Conditions: Store in tightly closed containers made of compatible materials (glass or certain plastics). Label all containers clearly. Keep storage area cool, dry, and well-ventilated. Segregate from oxidizers, acids, and reactive materials
Exposure Limits: Mercury (OSHA PEL: 0.1 mg/m³ TWA, ACGIH TLV: 0.025 mg/m³), Zinc (not regarded as hazardous by inhalation in amalgam form)
Engineering Controls: Laboratory fume hoods, exhaust ventilation. Do not pipette by mouth. Use spill containment trays.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Chemical splash goggles, nitrile or neoprene gloves, lab coat or apron, closed-toe shoes, respiratory protection where recommended. Wash hands thoroughly after handling. Remove contaminated clothing and decontaminate
Appearance: Silvery-gray, soft solid or paste
Odor: Odorless
Melting Point: Varies; below 200°C depending on zinc content
Vapor Pressure: Low at room temperature; mercury vapor released slowly
Density: 8.0–11.0 g/cm³
Solubility: Insoluble in water; soluble in nitric acid producing toxic fumes
Other: Stable under normal use but sensitive to heat; decomposes at high temperatures to release elemental zinc and mercury
Chemical Stability: Stable under recommended storage. Decomposes at higher temperatures.
Reactivity: Reacts violently with strong oxidizers, some acids.
Hazardous Decomposition Products: Mercury vapor, zinc oxide or chloride, other metal fumes on burning
Conditions to Avoid: Heat, flame, incompatible materials, high humidity
Incompatible Materials: Oxidizers (chlorine, bromine), acids, powdered metals, nitric acid
Acute Toxicity: Oral and inhalation exposure to dusts or vapors gives headache, tremors, nausea, and risk of systemic poisoning. Mercury compounds are neurotoxic and kidney-damaging, even at low concentrations.
Chronic Toxicity: Repeated exposure causes memory loss, mental disturbances, physical tremors, skin rashes (acrodynia), and kidney impairment. Zinc is less toxic; risk linked to the mercury, not zinc.
Routes of Exposure: Inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, eye contact
Symptoms: Irritation, coughing, metallic taste, breathing difficulty, tingling of extremities, behavioral changes
Carcinogenic Status: No evidence for zinc or metallic mercury. Inorganic mercury compounds may have increased risk with prolonged exposure
Ecotoxicity: Mercury in aquatic environments is toxic to fish, algae, and invertebrates. It bioaccumulates and creates persistent risk to predators through biomagnification. Zinc contributes additively.
Persistence and Degradability: Inorganic, does not degrade. Mercury released to water and soil remains biologically available for decades.
Mobility in Soil: Amalgam particles settle but can leach mercury over time, especially under acidic conditions.
Other Adverse Effects: Mercury pollution impacts birds, mammals, and people relying on fish. Proper disposal, spill prevention crucial for ecosystem safety
Waste Handling Methods: Dispose of as hazardous waste at licensed facilities. Do not incinerate amalgam or mercury.
Disposal Containers: Use tightly sealed, corrosion-resistant containers labeled for mercury waste.
Regulatory Guidance: Local, regional, national, and international regulations may apply regarding mercury compounds; consult environmental authority. Never discard in general landfill or pour down drains.
Additional Precautions: Clean up spills completely, use mercury vapor suppressant powders if needed, treat contaminated clothing and equipment as hazardous
UN Number: UN2025 (Mercury compound, solid, n.o.s.)
Transport Hazard Class: 6.1 (Toxic substances)
Packing Group: III (moderate hazard)
Labels: Toxic, Environmental hazard
Special Precautions: Ship upright, separate from foodstuffs and strong oxidizers, protect from physical damage, prevent release of dust and vapors
Transport Regulations: Subject to strict international and national dangerous goods rules by road, air, and sea. Restricted or prohibited by some carriers
Workplace Safety: Covered by OSHA, NIOSH, ACGIH guidelines for worker exposure. Strong recommendations for monitoring mercury vapor in air.
Environmental Controls: U.S. EPA classifies mercury and zinc amalgam as hazardous waste; compounds subject to strict disposal, recycling, and release limits under RCRA and the Clean Water Act.
Other Regulations: EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) rules restrict certain uses. REACH Regulation for notification, use-tracking. Transport must comply with ADR, IMDG Code, IATA for hazardous chemicals.
Labelling Requirements: Hazards, health effects, and safe use instructions required on all containers. Safety training recommended for all handlers
