Mercuric potassium cyanide

Synonyms

Dipotassium tetracyanomercurate; Dipotassium tetracyanomercurate(2-); Dipotassium tetrakis(cyano-C)mercurate(2-); Mercurate(2-), tetracyano-, dipotassium; Mercurate(2-), tetrakis(cyano-C)-, dipotassium, (T-4)-; Mercury potassium cyanide; Potassium cyanomercurate; Potassium tetracyanomercurate (K2Hg(CN)4); Potassium tetracyanomercurate(II); [ChemIDplus] UN1626

Category

Mercury Compounds, Inorganic

Description

Colorless or white solid; [Merck Index]

Sources/Uses

Used to prevent silver coatings from tarnishing in mirror manufacturing and as a reagent in testing for free acids; [Merck Index]

Comments

Highly toxic by ingestion; Also toxic by inhalation and dermal exposure; [Hawley] See "CYANIDES." See "Mercury, inorganic compounds" and the linked occupational disease.

Biomedical References

Yes

0.025 mg/m3, as Hg

0.1 mg/m3, as Hg (5 mg/m3, as CN)

0.02 mg/m3, as Hg, inhalable fraction (2 mg/m3, as CN, inhalable fraction)

10 mg/m3, as Hg

Sensorimotor

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

Yes

Yes

Other Poison

Chemical Asphyxiant

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Glass Manufacturing