Mercury II fulminate

Synonyms

Fulminate of mercury; Fulminate of mercury, dry; Fulminate of mercury, wet; Fulminic acid, mercury(2+) salt; Mercuric cyanate; Mercury fulminate; Mercury fulminate (Hg(ONC)2); Mercury(II) fulminate; Mercury, bis(fulminato)-; UN0135; [ChemIDplus]

Category

Explosives

Description

Silver-white metallic liquid; [CAMEO] White crystals or gray powder; [HSDB]

Sources/Uses

Used in the manufacturing of explosives; [ChemIDplus] Prepared in a difficult to control reaction of mercury, nitric acid and ethanol; It was first used in the 17th century by Nobel to detonate dynamite, but its use has been abandoned in most industrial countries. [HSDB] Used to manufacture caps and detonators for explosives; [Hawley]

Comments

A skin and eye irritant; Mercury poisoning has been reported in munitions workers handling this substance; [HSDB] Fulminates are compounds with the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen group that are sensitive explosives. [Hawley] See "Mercury, inorganic compounds" and the linked occupational disease.

Transport of Mercury fulminate, (wetted, > = 20% water) is forbidden in passenger aircraft/rail or cargo aircraft. [HMT]

Biomedical References

Yes

Yes

0.025 mg/m3, as Hg

0.1 mg/m3, as Hg

0.02 mg/m3, as Hg, inhalable fraction

10 mg/m3, as Hg

3.2E-10 mm Hg

Sensorimotor

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Yes

Yes

Not classifiable

Not Classifiable

Other Information

No other related information on this agent was found.