Teo Zenios wrote: In fact, mercury-aluminum amalgam is used in at least one method of clandestine MDMA production. What else would one use in cold-environment tilt switches? In warm environments, gallium might be an option, but certainly not in cold (or STP) environments. Peace... Sridhar

On 3/22/2006 at 9:40 PM Teo Zenios wrote: remember I hadn't realized this was the case for mercury. Gallium is another metal that's governed by air transport regulations because of what it will do to aluminum. When I was in high school, I built a mercury diffusion vacuum pump that used quite a bit of mercury. All those vapors probably explains my mad-as-a-hatter personality today. Cheers, Chuck

On 3/22/2006 at 9:33 PM John Foust wrote: I get the idea that most of the mercury poisoning nowadays is due to wastes generated from burning coal, mining leachate and other industrial sources--and that very little of it is generated by consumer end-user disposal practices. About 2 years ago, I replaced a sump pump at home that was installed in 1980 and it had a really nice fat mercury float switch on it. When I worked in the steel mills as a pyrometer technician, we were still using Weston standard cells in many of the instruments (chart recorders, controllers, etc.) as well as the portable galvanometers we used to calibrate instruments with. If I said "L&N Micromax", I'd really be showing my age, huh? Back then you could still get the druggist to make up a calomel purgative if you were feeling bad. I recall that we had a big American Lead Products plant that spewed out a fair amount of pollution. The only other notable personality I can think of right now who grew up in my home town was Jean Shepherd, who was as looney as they come. Maybe the heavy metals explains that... Cheers, Chuck

No question, I am living proof, although I think many on this list are afflicted too :) Playing with mercury as a kid, Making lead army men from the lead we dug out of a pistol range after hours, Holding lead solder in my mouth and working over a solder pot for years as a service monkey. Not to mention the early transformers we drained the oil from, or the wide assortment of flux removers, freon cool sprays, electro clean washes and other cleaning sprays and solvents used and consumed during the 60's and 70's, It is a wonder most of us old timers are still alive :) Any else remember we could carry our toolcase containing many implements of destruction and toxic sprays on an airplane and only had to show a business card at security, It helped to have a 465 scope on a the luggage cart with it when you pulled up to the early Xray systems at security. Scope went under the seat and the toolbox went in the over head bin. Those were the good old days :) Bob Bradlee On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 21:33:39 -0600, John Foust wrote:

At 09:40 PM 3/22/06 -0500, you wrote: To get rid of it! I suspect it would be a real headache to get rid of it in any quantity, especailly through waste disposal or other commercail channels. What do people and or companies do with the stuff anymore? Refine gold, make mercury fulminate. It has it's uses! :-) Joe