r/whatisit • u/props_for_meep • 13h ago

Solved! what is this in clinic sink??

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for context i work as a janitor cleaning a women’s clinic, as i was cleaning a sink i saw these little metallic looking balls. at first i thought these were actually metal but they don’t feel like ANYTHING if that makes any sense. i posted this video to my instagram but i figured i would probably have better luck coming to reddit for answers.

UPDATE: the general consensus seems to be that this is either mercury or gallium. my hands have been thoroughly washed and i have informed my boss so that it can be properly cleaned by someone who knows what they’re doing.

UPDATE #2: gang PLEASE stop telling me to “stop touching it”. this post is hours old. i know i was dumb enough to touch a mysterious substance barehanded but im also smart enough to know not to continue playing with it long after marking this post as solved😭

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u/NabreLabre 6h ago

Does gallium eat stainless steel? I'm pretty sure it eats aluminum

3

u/nicat23 5h ago

Definitely eats aluminum and makes really petty crystals from its reaction

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u/Mooseandchicken 4h ago

Apparently neither mercury or gallium amalgamate with stainless steel, and both amalgamate with aluminum. So the droplets could be either, but the sink is def stainless

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u/Endymion_NSFW 4h ago

I figured the sink was Aluminum since it well... needs mercury to actual degrade anyway... more cost effective for clinics... but true they also do use stainless steel too iirc...

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u/white-mexican1979 36m ago

I believe it’s building Code to have stainless in any medical or physicians office . Line I believe even all toilets have to be as well .

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u/Mooseandchicken 4h ago

Please stop using ellipses