MERCURY VAPOUR: A HEALTH HAZARD IN HERBARIA

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Metallic mercury vapour is released from herbarium specimens poisoned with mercuric chloride, in quantities which might constitute a health hazard. By increasing the ventilation in the Cambridge University Herbarium, the concentration of mercury vapour in the air has been reduced to a safer level. Even if herbaria no longer use mercuric chloride to protect specimens against insect attack, botanists might wish to consider the health hazard involved by release of mercury from older herbarium specimens which might have been poisoned in the traditional manner.

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