A janitor at a women’s clinic in Oklahoma is drawing attention online after discovering what he believed to be “mercury” in a break room sink. Curious about the tiny, metallic-looking droplets, the janitor touched them with his bare hands—an action that alarmed thousands of Reddit users because of mercury’s well-known toxicity. He later said he washed his hands thoroughly and reported the discovery to his boss, but many viewers were still stunned that he handled the substance at all.
“I know I was dumb enough to touch a mysterious substance barehanded,” Reddit user props_for_meep wrote, responding to the many r/whatisit commenters who criticized him for handling the metallic spheres. “In my defense, this is a break room. I didn’t expect hazardous substances to be in the same room where people make lunch,” he added. Even so, it remains possible that someone had disposed of chemicals in the break room sink.
Unsurprisingly, many viewers were alarmed that he handled the substance with his bare hands. “The fact y’all have no issue touching unknown substances/particles/objects will forever baffle me,” one commenter wrote. “You’re 100% the type of person to become patient zero,” another joked.
Some Reddit Users Suggested the Metallic Substance Might Be Gallium Rather Than Mercury
While most commenters agreed that the substance appeared to be mercury, several noted that it could also be gallium, a much less toxic metal. Still, confirmation from a professional at the women’s clinic would be necessary. “To be honest… it looks like mercury or gallium… and considering it’s not eating the sink… most likely mercury,” one Redditor suggested.
One commenter, who identified themselves as a chemical engineer, suggested that many of the warnings aimed at the janitor may have been overstated and based on common misconceptions. They argued that, given the small size of the mercury droplets shown in the video, it was highly unlikely that they would pose any serious risk. “Metallic mercury won’t be absorbed through your skin at a rate that would cause harm,” they explained.
It is worth noting that gallium often leaves a visible stain on the skin after direct contact, whereas mercury typically does not. The OP also provided a photo of their finger after handling the orb-shaped substance, and the skin appeared free of any staining.
