dimethylmercury Use and Manufacturing

In light of this fatal exposure to dimethylmercury, the following recommendations are made for the use of dimethylmercury:

Individuals should consider using less hazardous substances unless dimethylmercury is specifically needed. For example, the main use of dimethylmercury is to calibrate certain research equipment, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). It has been reported that inorganic mercury salts can replace most of these operations. 3
When handling this chemical, employees must wear impermeable gloves, face shields that are at least 8 inches long, and work under a fume hood. Latex, neoprene, and butyl gloves do not provide adequate protection from direct exposure to dimethylmercury (dimethylmercury migrates through plastics and rubber). Permeation testing has shown that Silver Shield laminated gloves are impermeable to dimethylmercury for at least 4 hours. Silvershield gloves should be worn under an abrasion-resistant, tear-resistant outer glove. Vials containing dimethylmercury should be clamped and the contents aspirated with a glass syringe and cannula. Gloves should be removed and disposed of in a manner that prevents this material from re-entering the workplace in accordance with the requirements of the national hazardous waste regulatory agency. All gloves that may have been exposed to dimethylmercury should be considered contaminated and should not be reused.
Employees working with organometallic compounds such as dimethylmercury must be trained and aware of the toxicity of these materials. It is important to read MSDSs with the understanding that they may not provide sufficient guidance for glove selection.
Individuals should take precautions similar to those described in "Prudent Laboratory Practice"4. See Chemical & Engineering News5 for more information on this case.
All spills or even suspicious exposures of such materials must be reported immediately to the employer and medical attention sought as soon as possible. Due to the high vapor pressure, Dimethylmercury evaporates rapidly and nearby workers may be quickly exposed to levels above 0.01mg/cu.m.6 PEL
Emergency showers and eyewash facilities must be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use, especially when dealing with eye or skin contact. Soap must also be available.
Medical monitoring, including periodic blood and urine testing of all persons with regular or frequent exposure to this chemical, should be provided by a physician experienced in occupational medicine.
This tragedy highlights the need for research laboratories to develop protective chemical hygiene plans that include adequate guidance on appropriate selection of personal protective equipment and engineering controls. Higher-status or well-qualified researchers should not be assumed to have adequate health and safety information. Research institutions should recognize that the nature of their work leads to multiple and often serious health hazards and that occupational health and safety must be proactive accordingly.

This document should be distributed to all laboratories and trade organizations that use or distribute NMR scanners.

Article source: https://article-realm.com/article/Computers/Data-Recovery/49099-dimethylmercury-Use-and-Manufacturing.html