posted 05-12-99 07:18 PM         

With a slight change.... i recommend you actually add some Hg to the reactions vessel - just enough so as to produce a discernable lump! Hg tends to aggregate, so once you have a sizeable lump in the vessel add shit loads of Al foil (gradually and way in excess) to allow it to amalgamate. Leave this for about a week (if you want to be safe and you have patience) and then decant the organic liquor from the vessel. Id defintely follow this up with a organic extraction and celite filtration just to be on the safe side.

Peace, love and empathy

posted 05-13-99 10:40 AM         

This is probably unwanted, but I'm horrified at the prevelence of Hg methods - particularly given the high doses of the products (& attendant general contamination mass). Bear in mind that one will be dead long before consuming 200mg of organic Hg over a year (ref Selinger, Chemistry in the Market place, 1986, p.437). Very long residences in body parts too: I'd question the prevalent attitude to low dose organic Hg - even from dental fillings. A (0.5mg/kg)fish helping gives about 100 ug (absorbed). Some believe brain damage begins at about 3 ug/g brain tissue - had in 50 single-fish-meal-days. Less in reality, as all sources contribute.
I beleive that if one retained any possibly Hg contaminated product (including regular pruduction employing Hg) it should be analysed for Hg species before release (& don't equate toxicity of high 1/2 life organic Hg with inorganic Hg or even elemental Hg).