General Description
A scarlet-red odorless tasteless powder. Sensitive to light. Insoluble in water and sinks in water. At elevated temperatures turns yellow but turns back to red upon cooling. Poison.
Reactivity Profile
MERCURY IODIDE(7774-29-0) is a mild reducing agent. Reacts with sodium azide to form mercury(II) azide, which is shock, friction, and heat sensitive. Incompatible with acetylene, ammonia, chlorine dioxide, azides, chlorine trifluoride, calcium (because of amalgam formation), sodium carbide, lithium, rubidium, copper .
Air & Water Reactions
Insoluble in water.
Hazard
Highly toxic by ingestion, inhalation, and
skin absorption; strong irritant.
Health Hazard
All forms of exposure to this compound are hazardous. Acute systemic mercurialism may be fatal within a few minutes; death by uremic poisoning is usually delayed 5-12 days. Acute poisoning has resulted from inhaling dust concentrations of 1.2-8.5 mg/m 3 of air; symptoms include tightness and pain in chest, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. Ingestion causes necrosis, pain, vomiting, and severe purging. Contact with eyes causes ulceration of conjunctiv a and cornea. Contact with skin causes irritation and possible dermatitis; systemic poisoning can occur by absorption through skin.
Potential Exposure
Mercuric iodide is used in medicine
and in analytical chemistry.
Fire Hazard
Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Fumes from fire may contain toxic mercury vapor.
First aid
If this chemical gets into the eyes, remove any
contact lenses at once and irrigate immediately for at least
15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek
medical attention immediately. If this chemical contacts the
skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash immediately
with soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately.
If this chemical has been inhaled, remove from exposure,
begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions, including resuscitation mask) if breathing has stopped and CPR if
heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical
facility. When this chemical has been swallowed, get medical attention. Give large quantities of water and induce
vomiting. Do not make an unconscious person vomit.
Antidotes and Special Procedures for authorized medical
personnel: The drug NAP has been used to treat mercury
poisoning, with mixed success.
Incompatibilities
Violent reaction with active metals;
potassium, sodium, acids, chlorine trifluoride. Inorganic
mercury compounds are incompatible with acetylene,
ammonia, chlorine dioxide; azides, calcium (amalgam formation), sodium carbide, lithium, rubidium, copper.
Mercury iodide is a mild reducing agent. Keep away from
oxidizers. Reacts with sodium azide to form mercury(II)
azide, which is shock-, friction-, and heat-sensitive.
Incompatible with acetylene, ammonia, chlorine dioxide,
azides, chlorine trifluoride, calcium (because of amalgam
formation), sodium carbide, lithium, rubidium, copper
(NIOSH, 1997)
Description
Mercuric iodide is a heavy, scarlet red, odorless, crystalline solid. It may be shipped as a red solution. It turns to a yellow powder at 127℃ and red upon cooling. Molecular weight= 454.40;Boiling point=(sublimes) 354℃; Freezing/Melting point=259℃. Hazard Identification (based on NFPA-704 M Rating System): Health 3, Flammability 0, Reactivity 0. Slightly soluble in water.
Chemical Properties
Mecuric iodide is a heavy, scarlet red, odorless, crystalline solid. It may be shipped as a red solution.
It turns to a yellow powder @ 127℃ and red upon cooling
Chemical Properties
Red Solid
Definition
ChEBI: Mercury diiodide is a mercury coordination entity composed of mercury and iodine with formula HgI2.
storage
Color Code—Blue: Health Hazard/Poison: Store in a secure poison location. Prior to working with this chemical you should be trained on its proper handling and storage. Mercuric iodide must be stored to avoid contact with chlorine trifluoride, sodium, and potassium, since violent reactions occur. Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away from light, acids, and heat. Protect containers from physical damage.
Shipping
This compound requires a shipping label of “POISONOUS/TOXIC MATERIALS” (solution). It falls in Hazard Class 6.1 and Packing Group II.
Purification Methods
Crystallise it from MeOH or EtOH and wash it repeatedly with distilled water (solubility is 0.006% at ~25o). It has also been mixed thoroughly with excess 0.001M iodine solution, filtered, washed with cold distilled water, rinsed with EtOH and Et2O, and dried in air. It changes colour reversibly to yellow at ~130o. [Friend Nature 109 341 1922.] POISONOUS.
