What type of foil is used to mop up a mercury spillage before collecting it into a syringe?

In the context of handling mercury spills in a dental setting, the use of lead foil is essential due to its unique properties. Lead is dense, allowing it to effectively pick up heavy substances like mercury. When a mercury spillage occurs, lead foil can be easily manipulated to cover and absorb the mercury droplets, facilitating safer collection.

Other materials, such as aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and copper sheets, do not have the necessary weight and density to adequately contain and gather mercury. Aluminum foil may not effectively cope with the fluid nature of mercury spills, while plastic wrap is not robust enough for handling metal spills. Copper, although somewhat heavy, does not exhibit the same effectiveness in absorbing mercury as lead does. Therefore, lead foil stands out as the most appropriate choice for the task at hand.