Millon's Reagent
If you find any inaccurate information, please let us know by providing your feedback here
This article is compiled based on the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) – 2025 Edition
Issued and maintained by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)
—To 2 mL of mercury in a conical ask add 20 mL of nitric acid. Shake the ask under a hood to break up the mercury into small globules. After about 10 minutes, add 35 mL of water, and, if a precipitate or crystals appear, add sucient dilute nitric acid (1 in 5, prepared from nitric acid from which the oxides have been removed by blowing air through it until it is colorless) to dissolve the separated solid. Add sodium hydroxide solution (1 in 10) dropwise, with thorough mixing, until the curdy precipitate that forms after the addition of each drop no longer redissolves but is dispersed to form a suspension. Add 5 mL more of the dilute nitric acid, and mix. Prepare this solution fresh.
