Publication

Dangers du Diméthylmercure

1998
Journal Articles

Abstract

A chemist, Karen Wetterhahn died after a cutaneous exposure to dimethylmercury despite wearing latex gloves. Lately, it was found that this compound permeates the latex almost immediately. This accident could have been avoided if dimethylmercury was no more used as standard in 199Hg-NMR. A safe alternative procedure allows to determine the chemical shift by means of an indirect standard, usually in proton NMR, and of the ratio of frequencies between both standards. This accident should encourage the sientific community dealing with mercuric compounds to assess their current laboratory procedures.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/e9b17448-41b8-44b3-ab32-f52635fac1ac

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

1998
Journal Articles

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/e9b17448-41b8-44b3-ab32-f52635fac1ac

About this result

Related concepts (31)

Dimethylmercury

Dimethylmercury ((CH3)2Hg), also known as mercury dimethanide, is an extremely toxic organomercury compound. A highly volatile, reactive, flammable, and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins, with a quantity of less than 0.1 mL capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning resulting in death, and is easily absorbed through the skin. Dimethylmercury is capable of permeating many materials, including plastic and rubber compounds.

Mercury poisoning

Mercury poisoning is a type of metal poisoning due to exposure to mercury. Symptoms depend upon the type, dose, method, and duration of exposure. They may include muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashes, anxiety, memory problems, trouble speaking, trouble hearing, or trouble seeing. High-level exposure to methylmercury is known as Minamata disease. Methylmercury exposure in children may result in acrodynia (pink disease) in which the skin becomes pink and peels.

Organomercury chemistry

Organomercury chemistry refers to the study of organometallic compounds that contain mercury. Typically the Hg–C bond is stable toward air and moisture but sensitive to light. Important organomercury compounds are the methylmercury(II) cation, CH3Hg+; ethylmercury(II) cation, C2H5Hg+; dimethylmercury, (CH3)2Hg, diethylmercury and merbromin ("Mercurochrome"). Thiomersal is used as a preservative for vaccines and intravenous drugs. The toxicity of organomercury compounds presents both dangers and benefits.