Nomenclature
CAS number: 21908-53-2
Mercury oxide (HgO); yellow precipitate.
HgO; mol wt 216.59.
Hg 92.61%, O 7.39%.
Description and references
Contains 99-99.5% HgO.
Properties
Yellow or orange-yellow, heavy, odorless powder,
orthorhombic structure.
Poisonous. Becomes red on heating and yellow again on cooling; more finely
divided and more reactive than red mercuric oxide. Other physical
properties and solubilities:
see Mercuric Oxide, Red.
Protect from
light. Incompat: Reducing agents.
Use
Similar to that of the red oxide; in the manuf of
organic mercurials. In analytical chemistry for determining Zn or
HCN; detecting acetic acid in formic acid, CO in gas mixtures. Catalyst.
Therapeutic Category
Topical antiseptic (ophthalmic).
Therapeutic Category (Veterinary)
Has been used as a topical antiseptic,
fungicide, in chronic skin conditions, conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers.