lilacstarflower

Ok, my character is a chemistry student who decides to get some dimethyl mercury. I've done loads of research on the effects and toxicity and so on but am struggling with a few questions

My questions are:

Would a chemistry student be able to obtain some from, say, a university lab?

Any ideas of where someone could steal/purchase this?

Also, if you are studying chemistry at university do you ever learn the history of the elements in the periodic table?

Any information is much appreciated

Sam Winchester

I'm not a chem student, but I have a good bit of knowledge on the subject. Because dimethylmercury has a high vapour pressure, any spillages expose students to dangerously high levels of toxins. It passes through PVC, Latex, Butyl and Neoprene in seconds. Therefore, students handling it, wear highly resistant, laminated gloves and also long-cuffed neoprene ones above them.

There wouldn't be a lot of dimethylmercury in a chem lab in a University because of its high levels of toxicity, and the fact that it is one of the strongest neurotoxins known to man. For this reason, dimethylmercury is most likely kept in a fridge, away from heat, flame, and any other forms of ignition or oxidation. The fridge would most certainly be locked - but that's not a big problem, is it?

Sam.

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lilacstarflower

Thats helpful thanks - got a few details there I hadn't picked up on before.

The fridge a problem? hell no! I'm sure he could find some way of busting it open without killing himself

Swirl3d

I did chemistry at A level, and am studying science (Zoology) at uni, where I have some contact with the chemistry dept.

If you were working (ie doing a project with) a research group that used dangerous chemicals, you would be able to get access to them with reasonable ease- once your inside, and know where and how things are kept, and are trusted to be left unsupervised in the lab (in bio dept, PHd students have cards/keys to enter and leave as they please, but 3rd yr project students might be left in the lab alone during the day).

Also, chemical suppliers produce catalogues you can order out of. When I was at school, I got to browse through a couple looking for things I wanted for my coursework project. I think they only deliver to registerd labs though.

As for history of elements; we got some teaching like that at scholl, and a little in my first year Chemistry for Biologists course, so I'd imagine the chem students would too. And there's always the textbooks, which are full of that sort of thing.

lilacstarflower

Zoology - that sounds interesting! Thanks for the info. I'm starting to get an idea of how he can obtain some.

I'm studying a postgrad in psychology so don't know the ins and outs of chemicals and such - the working of the mind and brain however....