Substance profile
Mercuric Chloride
Mercuric Chloride is colorless rhombic crystals or white powder and is odorless.
01 · Identification
What Mercuric Chloride is
Mercuric Chloride is colorless rhombic crystals or white powder and is odorless. Its molecular formula is Cl2Hg and its molecular weight is 271.5 g/mol. It boils at 302 °C, melts at 277 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as carcinogens.
02 · Identifiers
Mercuric Chloride identifiers and molecular data
Mercuric Chloride CAS number and EC number
Mercuric Chloride molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Mercuric Chloride
- mercury dichloride
03 · GHS classification
Mercuric Chloride hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Mercuric Chloride pictograms and signal word
Mercuric Chloride hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 1 or 2 | H300 | GHS06 |
| Skin corrosion/irritation GHS chapter 3.2 | Category 1A or 1B or 1C | H314 | GHS05 |
| Germ cell mutagenicity GHS chapter 3.5 | Category 2 | H341 | GHS08 |
| Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure GHS chapter 3.9 | Category 1 | H372 | GHS08 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - acute GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 1 | H400 | GHS09 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - chronic GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 1 | H410 | GHS09 |
Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.
Mercuric Chloride hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H341 | Suspected of causing genetic defects <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H361f | Suspected of damaging fertility. |
| H300 | Fatal if swallowed. |
| H372 | Causes damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> through prolonged or repeated exposure <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H314 | Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
| H410 | Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Mercuric Chloride. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for Mercuric Chloride
A Safety Data Sheet is written for a product, not for a substance: the supplier of the grade you actually buy issues it, so two suppliers of Mercuric Chloride issue two different sheets. That is why there is no single authoritative SDS for a substance to download — what there is, is the job of collecting the sheets for the products you hold and keeping them current as suppliers revise them.
04 · Precautionary statements
Mercuric Chloride precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 14 precautionary statements to Mercuric Chloride. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.
Prevention
What to do before and during handling so the hazard never happens.
Response
What to do once exposure, spillage or fire has already happened.
Disposal
What has to happen to the contents and the empty container.
Reading the notation. … is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.
05 · Names in the regulation
Mercuric Chloride name in 23 EU languages
CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.
| Language | Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian български | живачен дихлорид живачен хлорид |
| Spanish español | Dicloruro de mercurio cloruro mercúrico |
| Czech čeština | chlorid rtuťnatý |
| Danish dansk | kviksølvdichlorid kviksølvchlorid |
| German Deutsch | Quecksilberdichlorid QuecksilberchloridQuecksilber(II)-chlorid Sublimat |
| Estonian eesti | elavhõbedikloriid elavhõbe(II)kloriid |
| Greek ελληνικά | διχλωριούχος υδράργυρος χλωριούχος υδράργυρος |
| English English | mercury dichloride mercuric chloride |
| French français | dichlorure de mercure chlorure mercurique |
| Croatian hrvatski | živin diklorid živin klorid |
| Italian italiano | dicloruro di mercurio mercurio (II) cloruro |
| Latvian latviešu | dzīvsudraba dihlorīds dzīvsudraba(II) hlorīds |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | gyvsidabrio dichloridas gyvsidabrio chloridas |
| Hungarian magyar | higany-diklorid higany(II)-klorid |
| Maltese Malti | diklorur tal-merkurju klorur tal-merkurju |
| Dutch Nederlands | kwikdichloride kwik(II)chloride |
| Polish polski | dichlorek rtęci chlorek rtęci(II)chlorek rtęciowysublimat |
| Portuguese português | dicloreto de mercúrio cloreto mercúrico |
| Romanian română | diclorură de dimercur clorură mercuroasă |
| Slovak slovenčina | chlorid ortuťnatý |
| Slovenian slovenščina | živosrebrov diklorid živosrebrov klorid |
| Finnish suomi | elohopeadikloridi elohopeakloridi |
| Swedish svenska | kvicksilverdiklorid kvicksilverklorid |
All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.
06 · Label elements
Mercuric Chloride GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Mercuric Chloride, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Mercuric Chloride
- Suspected of causing genetic defects <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Suspected of damaging fertility.
- Fatal if swallowed.
- Causes damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> through prolonged or repeated exposure <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>.
- Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
- Very toxic to aquatic life.
- Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
- Obtain special instructions before use.
- Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection/hearing protection/…
- IF SWALLOWED:
- IF exposed or concerned:
- Immediately call a POISON CENTER/doctor/…
- Get medical advice/attention.
- Get medical advice/attention if you feel unwell.
- Rinse mouth.
- Do NOT induce vomiting.
- Collect spillage.
- Dispose of contents/container to …
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Mercuric Chloride in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Mercuric Chloride health hazards and exposure limits
Mercuric Chloride hazard summary
Corrosive to skin; [Quick CPC] Highly toxic by ingestion; Lethal dose for inorganic mercury salts is about 1 gram; A skin and eye irritant; [CHEMINFO MSDS] May cause skin sensitization; [ICSC] See Mercury, inorganic compounds and the linked diseases.
Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
Mercuric Chloride carcinogenicity classification
Under the conditions of these 2-year gavage studies, there was some evidence of carcinogenic activity of mercuric chloride in male F344 rats based on the increased incidence of squamous cell papillomas of the forestomach. Marginally increased incidences of thyroid follicular cell adenomas and carcinomas may have been related to mercuric chloride exposure. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of mercuric chloride in female F344 rats based on two squamous cell papillomas of the forestomach. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of mercuric chloride in male B6C3F1 mice based on the occurrences of two renal tubule adenomas and one renal tubule adenocarcinoma. There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of mercuric chloride in female B6C3F1 mice receiving 5 or 10 mg/kg.
Source: US National Toxicology Program · TR-408: Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Mercuric Chloride (CASRN 7487-94-7) in F344 Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Gavage Studies) (1993 )
An IARC group and a CLP classification answer different questions. IARC judges whether the evidence for cancer in humans is strong enough; CLP Annex VI is the legally binding EU classification. A substance can carry one and not the other.
Mercuric Chloride occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 0.1 [mg/m3], as Hg | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| IDLH | 10 mg Hg/m3 (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | 10.0 [mg/m3], as Hg | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| IDLH | 10 mg/cu m (as Hg) /Mercury cmpd (except (organo) alkyl compounds (as Hg)/ | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
These are United States values. The European Union sets its own indicative and binding limits, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation — not the one shown here.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Mercuric Chloride properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
Mercuric Chloride boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 302 °C (575.6 °F) | HSDB | |
| 302.22 °C (576 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO |
Mercuric Chloride melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 277 °C (530.6 °F) | HSDB | |
| 276.11 °C (529 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 276 °C (528.8 °F) | ICSC |
Mercuric Chloride density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 5.4 g/cm³ | ICSC | |
| 5.6 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 5.44 g/cm³ | at 25 °C | CAMEO |
Mercuric Chloride solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | 4 G/100 CC ETHER | HSDB | |
| 6.9 g/100 cc water @ 20 °C | at 20 °C | HSDB | |
| 33 G/100 CC ALCOHOL @ 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Mercuric Chloride vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 0.0007501 mmHg | at 20 °C | ICSC |
| 1 mmHg | at 136.2 °C | HSDB |
Mercuric Chloride vapor density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor density | 9.8 g/cu cm | HSDB |
Mercuric Chloride corrosivity
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosivity | Corrosion rate: 0.0003 mm/yr (1% concn) at 100 °C; 0.01 mm/yr (5% concn) at 100 °C; 0.001 mm/yr (10% concn) at 100 °C. ... relative to titanium | at 100 °C | HSDB |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Handling and storage
Mercuric Chloride storage and handling
Mercuric Chloride safe storage
Separated from food and feedstuffs, aluminium, copper, iron and zinc. Store in an area without drain or sewer access. Provision to contain effluent from fire extinguishing. Well closed. Keep in the dark. Store only in original container.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Mercuric Chloride incompatible materials
MIXTURE OF POTASSIUM & ANY OF FOLLOWING METALLIC HALIDES PRODUCES STRONG EXPLOSION ON IMPACT: ... MERCURIC CHLORIDE ...
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Mercuric Chloride reactivity
MERCURIC CHLORIDE is decomposed by sunlight. Incompatible with formates, sulfites, hypophosphites, phosphates, sulfides, albumin, gelatin, alkalis, alkaloid salts, ammonia, lime water, antimony, arsenic, bromides, borax, carbonates, reduced iron, iron, copper, lead and silver salts, infusions of cinchona, oak bark or senna, tannic acids and vegetable astringents. (NTP, 1992).
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Mercuric Chloride in the storage compatibility matrix →
10 · Transport
Mercuric Chloride UN number and transport classification
Transport classification is a separate system from the GHS classification above. It decides how a package is marked and how a load may be carried; it does not follow from the workplace label, and the workplace label does not follow from it. The entries below are linked by CAS number, never by name.
Mercuric Chloride under UN 1624 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MERCURIC CHLORIDE | 6.1 | T5 | II | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 6.1 is “Toxic substances” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercuric chloride | 6.1 | II | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 6.1 is “Poisonous materials” (49 CFR 173.2).
11 · Questions
Mercuric Chloride — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Mercuric Chloride?
The CAS number of Mercuric Chloride is 7487-94-7. Its EC number is 231-299-8.
What is the chemical formula of Mercuric Chloride?
The molecular formula of Mercuric Chloride is Cl2Hg and its molecular weight is 271.5 g/mol.
What does a Mercuric Chloride label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Mercuric Chloride carries the pictograms Skull and crossbones, Corrosion, Health hazard and Environment and the signal word is Danger.
Is Mercuric Chloride flammable?
CLP Annex VI assigns Mercuric Chloride no flammability hazard class. That is not a statement that it cannot burn: the harmonised list only records the hazards that were assessed for it.
Is Mercuric Chloride a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Mercuric Chloride. Annex VI is a list of agreed classifications, not a list of substances found safe, so this is an absence of a classification rather than a clean bill of health.
What is the exposure limit for Mercuric Chloride?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for Mercuric Chloride is 0.1 [mg/m3], as Hg (Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases). Limits differ by country: the EU sets its own indicative and binding values, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation.
What is the boiling point of Mercuric Chloride?
The boiling point reported for Mercuric Chloride is 302 °C (575.6 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Mercuric Chloride?
The melting point reported for Mercuric Chloride is 277 °C (530.6 °F) (HSDB).
Nearby
Substances next to Mercuric Chloride
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