A Simple, Inexpensive, Mercury-Free Bubbler Apparatus

Inert gas manifolds for the handling of air-sensitive materials are commonplace in the inorganic chemistry curriculum as well as in research laboratories specializing in inorganic and organometallic synthesis. Mercury bubblers are ubiquitously implemented for maintaining a positive internal pressure for air-free manifold systems, commonly known as Schlenk lines. This has rendered them difficult to replace with equivalent and accessible alternatives. This communication describes the setup and implementation of a simple, inexpensive alternative to the traditional mercury bubbler that is modular and flexible enough to fit most any laboratory space.