Prolonged exposure to mercury even at relatively low but

Chapter 13, Problem 13113

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Prolonged exposure to mercury even at relatively low but toxic concentrations in the air is known to cause permanent mental disorders, insomnia, and pain and numbness in the hands and the feet, among other things. Therefore, the maximum allowable concentration of mercury vapor in the air at work places is regulated by federal agencies. These regulations require that the average level of mercury concentration in the air does not exceed 0.1 mg/m3 . Consider a mercury spill that occurs in an airtight storage room at 208C in San Francisco during an earthquake. Calculate the highest level of mercury concentration in the air that can occur in the storage room, in mg/m3 , and determine if it is within the safe level. The vapor pressure of mercury at 208C is 0.173 Pa. Propose some guidelines to safeguard against the formation of toxic concentrations of mercury vapor in air in storage rooms and laboratories.