What is elemental mercury?
Mercury is a natural element found in the earth’s crust. Historians as far back as Pliny the Elder have noted its existence. It is introduced into the environment naturally through geological occurrences such as volcanic activity or erosion. W. A. Baum Company uses triple-distilled, American Dental Association Grade, elemental mercury in the manufacture of its blood pressure instruments. Some of its unusual characteristics are: • It is non-wetting liquid. • It has tremendous surface tension, which allows a drop or bead to remain almost round, like a ball bearing. • It is thirteen times heavier than water. • Triple-distilled mercury is 99.999% pure and can easily be cleaned, distilled and recycled. • It has a very low vapor pressure – it does not vaporize rapidly or readily at room temperature. • It is listed as a corrosive; however, it is not corrosive to hard metals, linoleum, wood, fabric, ceramic tile, etc. It is corrosive to soft metals such as copper, tin, gold, silver and aluminu
