NIST to end mercury thermometer era

Technology

NIST to end mercury thermometer era

NIST\'s Gregory Strouse explains why the agency wants to end the use of mercury.

Federal News Network Staff

February 11, 2011 3:00 pm

< a min read

wfedstaff | June 3, 2015 9:04 pm

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For more than 100 years, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has calibrated mercury thermometers. But not for much longer. There is a government-wide effort to phase out mercury thermometers altogether.

Gregory Strouse, a physicist at NIST and the Acting Division Chief for Temperature, Pressure, Flow and Metrology, says the goal is to stop using mercury.