1.   As a liquid, elemental mercury is slow to be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream.

2.   As a vapor, however, elemental mercury rapidly enters the bloodstream once breathed in.

3.   Nor is that kind of spill that uncommon, given the frequent use of elemental mercury in everything from thermometers and blood pressure gauges to older gas meters.

4.   Unlike elemental mercury, they readily can be absorbed by the body and signs of poisoning take an insidiously long time to appear.

5.   Eliminating the pure elemental mercury was easy.