Who Discovered Mercury?

No one knows who discovered mercury. This element has been known since antiquity. Its symbol is Hg, from the Latin hydrargyrum, meaning liquid silver. Although no one knows exactly which person or scientist first found the element, a lot is known about its history.

Mercury was known to ancient civilizations including the Egyptians and the Chinese. It has been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to the second century B.C. Some thought it could heal and promote good health and Paracelsus used it as medicine. 

It was used in cosmetics and combined with other metals to make amalgams.  Medieval alchemists thought that mercury became gold when it was in a solid state. It was also used in the purification of gold and silver.

Who Discovered Mercury?

When ancient people discovered mercury, they started using it and needed to name it. We know alchemists used the name Mercurius for mercury, but we don’t know when that started. Some say its name comes from the planet Mercury, which was named after the Roman god, Mercury. 

The planet moves quickly through the night sky, and Mercury, the god of trade, flew quickly. It was also known as quicksilver, because of its appearance and it is liquid. It is the only metal which is liquid at room temperature. Toward the end of the 18th century, A. L. Lavoisier recognized mercury as a chemical element.

Properties

Mercury is a shiny, heavy metal. It does not conduct heat very well, but is a fairly good conductor of electricity. It has high surface tension and breaks up when poured or spilled onto a flat area, forming small beads which move around quickly. 

Its boiling point is over 356 degrees Celsius, and it freezes at around minus 38 degrees Celsius. It becomes superconductive when it nears absolute zero (−273.15 degrees Celsius). Mercury is found in cinnabar. Cinnabar is an ore with mercury and sulphur (mercury sulfide). It can contain as much as 86 percent mercury. The elements are separated by heating the ore in a kiln, after being crushed down to 1 to 2 inches in size. The mercury vaporizes and needs to be condensed by cooling. Then the mercury is purified further with vacuum distillation. 

Uses of Mercury

We don’t know who discovered mercury, but we know there are many uses for it.  It is used in thermometers because its expansion when heated is fairly constant and barometers because of its density. Since it conducts well, it is used in various lights and switches, including mercury-vapor lamps, sun lamps, and black lights. When mixed with other metals, its uses increase.

Combining mercury with gold, silver or other substances makes an amalgam used in dentistry. Other medicinal uses include mercurochrome, which is used as a topical antiseptic, and mercuric oxide, which is an component of some skin ointments. It was used, at one time, in the treatment of syphilis. Mercuric chloride is useful in insecticides and disinfectants and mercuric sulfate in used in chemistry as a catalyst.    

Toxicity

Toxic properties may not have been known by the ancient people who discovered mercury. It can be easily absorbed into your body through the skin, lungs, or by ingesting it. 

There are few ways for it to leave your body, so it stays there forever. It could accumulate in your body over time and become deadly. It can:

• Damage your nervous system
• Cause brain and kidney damage
• Inhibit your immune system
• Lead to birth defects

Mercury is in industrial waste which pollute our lakes and streams.  That means it can affect people and wildlife worldwide.

Safety

You should never knowingly inhale or ingest mercury. Its vapor can be poisonous in concentrated amounts. Always store it in a sealed container and don’t expose it to high temperatures. To dispose of mercury, do not wash it down the drain or flush it down the toilet. It could easily get into the water system. Do not throw it away, either. The trash may be burned, releasing it into the air, where it may come down with rain. Always use extreme caution whenever handling mercury.