Yes possible
mercury vapor
A pin based fluorescent light fixture is the type of fixture that takes fluorescent tubes. On each end of the fluorescent tubes there are contact pins. These pins are used to hold the tube in the fixture and to supply the voltage to the tube from the fixture's ballast.
Fluorescent tubes last longer and supply more light per watt of energy consumed than an incandescent bulb.
I think that you may be confusing fluorescent tubes with neon tubes. Fluorescent tubes use a phosphor coating on the inside of the lamp which is in a limited spectrum. Some tubes are cool white, warm white, and daylight. There is also a gro lux which is on the warm end of the spectrum used for growing indoor plants.
sterilizations of equipment and the fluorescent tubes
It is possible, depending on the ballast wiring to the tubes. Some ballast units actually contain multiple independent ballasts that would be hooked to individual tubes or pairs of tubes independently. Some ballasts may control all the tubes in one fixture and when one tube fails the others either go out or flicker badly.
"Quicksilver" is an older name for the element mercury, which is used in fluorescent tubes. The average Compact Fluorescent Tube (CFT) contains 4 mg Hg. By comparison the old 48" tube contains 10-25 mg Hg in vapour and liquid form.
Cathode ray tubes.
1) electric light bulbs 2) fluorescent tubes 3) radio vacuum tubes 4) welding
Electric light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, and radio vacuum tubes and as an inert gas shield in arc welding.
Yes, it usually happens when the tubes are cold. As the fixture and tubes warm up this effect disappears.