I think I saw some mercury on the road..should I be worried?!
Question: I think I saw some mercury on the road..should I be worried?
what are the chances? or am i just paranoid and thinking it could be mercury??
Answers:
Elemental mercury is not dangerous outdoors. Someone could have spilled it or it could be water that reflected the sun. Mercury vapor is only bad in an enclosed area or if there is long term skin contact. It is used industrially in many products. Miners used to place gold bearing ore in pools of mercury then boil off the mercury to see if gold dissolved in the mercury.
It's mercury vapor that is bad for your health, not liquid mercury. and that's a pretty bad spill - I don't think someone would just leave it there. Most individuals do not have that much mercury just laying around, although my family does.
avoid it