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fluorescent bulbs contain mercury. At my work we have special drums we store all are old bulbs in till some one comes to recycle them. Well here is some info on the bulbs.
Nope- Not any that I know of anyway. Most hold a combo of argon and mercury gasses. When electricity is pass through these they produce ultraviolet light, which strike phosphors on the glass of the lamp. These phosphors use the ultraviolet light to make 'white' light.
Actually, you are partially right azn_fishy55; after some more research I have found that flourecent bulbs can create plasma-any flourecent fixture that uses a starter switch will generate some plasma when the bulb fires up initially.