BIOELECTRONICS
Fiberglass: snip a fragment from insulation.
Fluoride: ask a dentist for a small sample.
Formaldehyde: purchase 37% at a pharmacy. Use a few
drops only for your sample.
Gasoline: gas station (leaded and unleaded).
Gold: ask a jeweler for a crumb of the purest gold available
or use a wedding ring.
Kerosene: gas station.
Lead: wheel balancers from a gas station, weights used on
fishing lines, lead solder from electronics shop.
Mercury: a mercury thermometer (there is no need to break
it), piece of amalgam tooth filling.
Methanol: paint supply store (wood alcohol).
Nickel: a nickel plated paper clip, a washed coin.
Patulin (apple mold): cut a sliver of washed, bruised apple.
PCB: water from a quarry known to be polluted with it (a
builder or electrical worker may know a source).
Platinum: ask a jeweler for a small specimen.
Propyl alcohol: rubbing alcohol from pharmacy (same as
propanol or isopropanol). Use a few drops only, discard
the rest. Do not save it.
PVC: glue that lists it in the ingredients (polyvinyl chloride).
Radon: leave a glass jar with an inch of filtered water in it
standing open in a basement that tested positive to radon
using a kit. After 3 days, close the jar. Pour about 2 tsp. of
this water into your specimen bottle.
Silicon: a dab of silicon caulk.
Silver: ask a jeweler for a crumb of very pure silver. Silver
solder can be found in electronics shops. Snip the edge of a
very old silver coin.
Sorghum mold: 1/8 tsp. sorghum syrup.
Styrene: a chip of styrofoam.
Tantalum: purchase a tantalum drill bit from hardware store.