What threatens a broken thermometer. What not to do if a mercury thermometer breaks. The thermometer at home crashed - what to do: how to properly collect mercury

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks? How to avoid unpleasant consequences? Read about it below.

If you handle the mercury thermometer carefully, store it out of the reach of children and protected from direct sunlight, then this device does not pose any danger. Modern thermometers are sold in special cases that will soften the blow even when dropped.

However, it should be remembered that if the integrity of the thermometer is violated, there is a danger to health. It contains a liquid heavy metal - mercury, the fumes of which are highly toxic. This substance belongs to the first class of the most dangerous substances. That is why in many countries the release of mercury thermometers is completely prohibited. Just 1-2 grams of a substance can cause serious mercury poisoning.

Why mercury is dangerous: consequences for the body

If, however, the thermometer breaks, the movable mercury balls rather quickly clog into small cracks, roll into corners, where it is very difficult to get them. Mercury not collected immediately begins to evaporate. The evaporation process takes place at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. The poison enters the human body, usually through the respiratory tract, causing poisoning.

Many will say that if the thermometer were so dangerous, it would be completely excluded from sale. Of course, acute poisoning may not occur, but prolonged inhalation of the vapors of a toxic substance can lead to unpleasant consequences.

There may be:

deviations from the nervous system (CNS);
kidney and liver problems;
thyroid disease;
respiratory failure, pneumonia;
fetal injury during pregnancy.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

If a thermometer breaks in an apartment, urgent care must be taken to remove all pieces of glass and particles of mercury. Contact with mercury itself is practically not dangerous, but if you inhale mercury vapor, you can cause great harm to your body. Depending on the concentration of the substance in the air, unpleasant symptoms may appear that should alert.

These include:

severe overwork at standard loads;
drowsiness;
lethargy;
dizziness or headaches;
tremor in the hands (trembling);
increased sweating;
low blood pressure;
apathy, depression;
insomnia.

If several of the above symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor, as well as special services that will measure the concentration of hazardous substance vapors in your home with special devices. How to collect mercury from a broken thermometer? What items do you need to prepare and how do you protect yourself during this process? These questions are asked by everyone who has broken a thermometer at least once. How to properly remove a hazardous substance, a little lower.

First aid for mercury poisoning

If you have broken a thermometer and suspect that poisoning has occurred, you should immediately contact a medical institution. Treatment of intoxication caused by mercury vapor is carried out only in a hospital, so an ambulance should be called.

Before the arrival of the ambulance, you can slightly alleviate the condition of the poisoned person.

If he is conscious, proceed as follows:

Provide rest, complete bed rest.
Provide maximum access to fresh air.
Carry out gastric lavage.
Induce vomiting.
Take activated charcoal based on the calculation of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight;
Provide plenty of fluids.

If the poisoned person is unconscious, then it must be laid on its side and fresh air should be allowed into the room. The condition of the patient's tongue should be monitored to avoid its sinking.

What to do if a mercury thermometer is broken

If the thermometer crashed at home, you should immediately free the room from people and pets.

Need to prepare:

saturated solution of manganese;
soda-soap solution;
a couple of sheets of thick paper;
medical pear;
piece of cotton wool, syringe;
an awl or other similar object;
adhesive tape or electrical tape;
torch.

Before cleaning, it is necessary to put on shoe covers or simple bags on your feet, on your face a medical or ordinary gauze bandage. Hands should be protected with gloves. Next, a rag is moistened in strong manganese and laid on the threshold of the room. The window should be open, but in other rooms they should be closed.

The thermometer is carefully lifted, trying not to spill the remaining mercury, and placed in a jar of potassium permanganate and water. With prepared sheets of paper, all the balls from the floor are driven into one large one, lifted with a piece of cotton wool and also placed in water. Further, over the entire surface, where small particles of mercury can be, they are carried out with the sticky side of the adhesive tape. The balls will stick to it; they must also be lowered into a jar of manganese solution along with adhesive tape. You can get balls from hard-to-reach places with a pear or a syringe.

After the balls are collected, the floor, all surfaces where they were, should be washed with a solution of manganese. Clothes, gloves, a mask, all things that could come into contact with the poison are put in a separate bag and tied well. What to do with a broken thermometer and other things? You need to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations, find out where to hand over the jar and the package with dangerous contents. After all activities, you need to take a shower, rinse your mouth with soda solution.

Most of the evaporated mercury that enters the body is excreted through the kidneys. That is why after cleaning activities, you should drink plenty of clean water. The liquid will help remove most of the harmful substance.

If possible, try to exclude people and animals from staying in the room for about a week. It must be constantly ventilated, and the surfaces and floor should be thoroughly washed daily with a soap and soda solution with the addition of a chlorine-containing detergent.

How to Clean a Room After Cleaning Mercury

If the thermometer breaks, just removing the mercury is not enough. After the source of the hazardous substance has been removed and all things that have come into contact with it have been removed, you can proceed to the final stage of cleaning.

For this, special solutions are prepared, which, when interacting with mercury, react with it, forming other, absolutely harmless compounds. This process is called demercurization.

With these solutions, it is necessary to treat all surfaces that could come into contact with toxic metal. This is necessary so that even the smallest balls do not remain in the room. For processing, you can use a dark solution of potassium permanganate, but this will require gloves.

All poisoned surfaces are treated with this agent. If there are gaps on the floor of the room, then the solution must be poured into them. You can carry out the treatment with ordinary sponges or washcloths. It is very convenient to use the sprayer. If the usual manganese was not found in the first-aid kit, then you can resort to another remedy. Bleach (Whiteness) copes well with mercury.

As you can see, the demercurization process is quite simple. After its completion, the room is ventilated for several more hours. Doors to other rooms must be tightly closed.

What to do is strictly prohibited and dangerous

It is strictly forbidden to throw mercury or a broken thermometer into the garbage chute and waste container. The use of a manganese solution is only a temporary measure, if mercury was lowered into a jar with such a solution, it also cannot be disposed of in the usual way.

When collecting mercury, do not use a broom, vacuum cleaner or ordinary rag. It is forbidden to machine wash the clothes in which you were, removing mercury. Also, it is absolutely impossible to arrange a draft at home.

Disposal of things after contact with mercury

What should be done if the thermometer crashed on a fluffy carpet, favorite chair or sofa? It is almost impossible to remove metal balls from upholstered furniture, toys or carpet pile. In this case, the only correct solution would be to dispose of all these things.

If it is not possible to recycle items, they can be weathered. This should be done in rooms where people and animals do not have access or in the fresh air, for example, under a canopy away from home. How much mercury disappears if the thermometer crashed in the apartment? It will take several months to completely erode mercury vapor from things or a room. However, even this method does not guarantee final purification from toxic substances.

If the rescue service refused to accept your items for disposal, they must be rendered unusable so that no one could use them. Pack hermetically in a plastic bag, then take it to a landfill. Do not dispose of these items in containers near residential buildings. It is best if you find a landfill in a non-residential area.

However, it happens that your favorite clothes come into contact with mercury, which is a pity to throw away. What to do in this situation? Things can be folded into a plastic bag, and then hung out for airing. After a couple of weeks, the bag can be removed and the remnants of the hazardous substance can be weathered for about 3 more months. Then the clothes are washed in a soap and soda solution, then with ordinary powder. But such a method, of course, does not give a guarantee of complete purification.

When to Call the Professionals

You should know that the boiling point of such a dangerous substance as mercury is only 40 degrees. If its droplets hit a hot or hot surface, evaporation will occur instantly. If mercury gets on the heating radiator in winter, it will not work on your own.

Do not collect mercury yourself in rooms that cannot be ventilated. Also, do not resort to independent actions if the air temperature is very high. It is strictly forbidden to clean hazardous substances for people at risk:

pregnant women, since toxic vapors penetrate the placenta, which can lead to various abnormalities in the development of the fetus;
children under 18 years of age and people over 65 years of age;
patients with a history of chronic and acute diseases of the central nervous and urinary system.

In all these cases, you must contact the emergency service and immediately leave the premises. Thus, mercury vapor poisoning can be avoided.

Prevention of mercury poisoning from a thermometer

Reducing the risk of poisoning with mercury vapor from a thermometer is easy.

Conventional mercury thermometers can be replaced with modern infrared or electronic ones. The measurement accuracy of these devices is quite high, but there is no risk of harming yourself and your household.
Mercury thermometers should not be given to children unsupervised.
If measurements are necessary, you need to tightly fix the baby's hand.
Knock down temperature indicators should be away from solid objects. If you accidentally hit a nearby table, the device will break from impact.
The thermometer can only be stored in the special cases with which it is sold.
If the device still crashes, you need to follow the recommendations above on how and with what to collect mercury from a thermometer.
It is also necessary to dispose of the thermometer in accordance with all the rules.

Now you know what to do if the thermometer crashes and is it dangerous. Carrying out the described measures will avoid accidental mercury vapor poisoning. Using the above instructions for collecting a hazardous substance will help you not to worry about the health of loved ones and relatives.

Everyone, take note! What to do if the thermometer breaks!?

Hi! Surely it happened that you broke a mercury thermometer ..... And immediately panic sets in, many do not know what to do, especially if the thermometer is broken by a child and you fear for his life ...
Oh, I remember once in my childhood I broke a thermometer....! How much panic was...!
So what to do?! We read and remember!

Carefully - this is the main thing in the process of cleaning mercury. This manual is also worth studying in detail, in order to avoid accidents.

It's no secret that mercury is very dangerous, but its vapors are especially dangerous. When inhaled, a person can get very serious damage to the body.

It is worth noting that the temperature at which mercury begins to evaporate is +18 degrees Celsius, which means that the higher the room temperature, the faster appropriate measures must be taken.

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks?

If you broke a thermometer, you first need to carefully, correctly and promptly remove the mercury.

The worst option is the evaporation of all mercury in a very short time (for example, it got into a heating device or poured out under a radiator) and in a poorly ventilated room.

1. Remove all people and animals from the premises.

2. Make the room temperature as low as possible to reduce the evaporation rate:

Open the window and close the door of the room

Turn on the air conditioner

Turn off all heaters (battery)

3. Make sure that mercury does not get on the soles of the shoes, and you do not spread it around the room.

4. Get ready to collect mercury:

Wear rubber gloves (mercury should not come into contact with the skin)

Put on shoe covers (if you don’t have them, wrap your legs with plastic bags)

Put on a cotton-gauze bandage, moistening it with water and soda in advance (you can do it without soda)

The thermometer broke. How to collect mercury?

Prepare a glass jar, pour cold water into it. Collect the mercury and thermometer pieces and place them in a jar of water (the water will keep the mercury from evaporating).

Everything must be done carefully, and collect all the mercury from all the nooks and crannies.

You can collect droplets-balls of mercury:

Syringe or rubber bulb (most effective)

Two sheets of damp paper or newspaper

Band-Aid

with scotch tape

wet cotton

plasticine

Wet brush (for drawing, shaving, etc.).

* If mercury is under the plinth, it must be removed and everything checked.

* When collecting mercury for a long time, take a break every 15 minutes by going outside to fresh air.

* If you have a wooden floor, then most likely there are cracks in it, which means that a few silvery drops of mercury could well “hide” there. At room temperature, they will begin to release toxic fumes. In this case, you will have to make unscheduled repairs, otherwise you will not be able to remove the mercury.

1. In the role of a scoop, use a piece of paper or foil, and in the role of a broom, a soft small brush or cotton wool soaked in a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate is suitable.

2. Begin gently rolling balls of mercury onto the paper scoop.

4. There is also an opinion that copper or aluminum wire can help to collect mercury. Small balls of mercury will stick to such a wire. Then they can be rolled into large balls and placed in a glass container.

5. Very small balls can be collected with adhesive tape, to which they will simply stick.

6. Mercury, which “hid” in the cracks in the floor, can be sprinkled with sand and then it can be freely brushed onto paper with a brush.

7. When you have collected all the mercury in a jar of cold water, screw on the lid tightly and keep the jar away from heaters and direct sunlight.

* Can't be thrown away. Later, it must be handed over to an enterprise that specializes in the disposal of mercury-containing waste. You can also contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Demercurization

2.1. Demercurization with bleach

Prepare a bleach solution containing chlorine in a plastic container. The solution must be made at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water.

Using a sponge or floor rag, treat the stained area, including all cracks. Wash off the solution with water after 15 minutes.

Do not throw away the used sponge or cloth, but hand it over to specialized companies.

Over the next 2-3 weeks, you should regularly rinse the floor with a chlorine solution.

It is advisable to keep the window ajar for a long time.

2.2. Demercurization with potassium permanganate

Prepare a solution of potassium permanganate so that it is dark brown in color and almost opaque.

Add to the rasters 1 tbsp. l. salt and 1 tbsp. l. vinegar essence (you can replace it with a pinch of citric acid, or 1 tablespoon of rust remover).

Using a brush or brush, treat the area of contamination, including all cracks.

Leave the solution on the surface for 1-2 hours. If the solution dries out during this time, wet the area with water.

It is worth noting that difficult-to-remove stains may remain from the solution.

Prepare a soap-soda solution at the rate of 40 grams of grated soap and 50 grams of soda per 1 liter of water and treat the place of contamination with it.

Over the next few days, this procedure should be repeated regularly, while the potassium permanganate solution is already kept for a shorter time.

Do not forget to regularly carry out wet cleaning and ventilate the room.

If the thermometer crashed at home. What to do after demercurization?

Create a draft - intense air flow will interfere with the concentration of mercury vapor

Wash your shoes with potassium permanganate and / or soap and soda solution

It is advisable to completely dispose of gloves using the above recommendations.

Rinse your mouth and throat with a light solution of potassium permanganate (light pink color)

Well brush your teeth

Take activated charcoal (2-3 tablets)

Drinking plenty of water (tea, juice) will help remove possible mercury formations from the kidneys.

Where to call if the thermometer crashed:

You can call the local emergency service, where they will tell you how to proceed. Perhaps they themselves will be able to come and pick up the mercury. If you were able to collect the mercury yourself, then before they arrive, place the jar of mercury on a balcony or other cool place.

To collect mercury, specialists from organizations that deal with demercurization, for example, the Ecotron research and production enterprise, can help you. This company can independently collect mercury and help with faulty thermometers.

The emergency response service “KHRL” can also help you.

If you have any doubts about the safety of the air in the house after mercury cleaning, you can contact the district centers of hygiene and epidemiology, where specialists can conduct a laboratory examination for the content of mercury vapor.

What can not be done if a thermometer with mercury crashed

1. Do not create a draft before cleaning the mercury.

2. Do not throw a broken thermometer into the garbage chute - only 2 grams of evaporated mercury is enough to pollute 6000 cubic meters. m.

3. Do not collect mercury with a broom - its hard rods can crush mercury balls and scatter them over an even larger area.

4. Do not use a vacuum cleaner to collect mercury. The air that the vacuum cleaner blows will accelerate the evaporation of mercury. Moreover, if mercury is collected with a vacuum cleaner, then it is not only impossible to use it further, but also get rid of it altogether, and it is best to bury or destroy it.

Even if you use the most modern vacuum cleaner, with improved filters that can trap mercury, some of it will still settle in the corrugated hose. This means that the hose will have to be processed as indicated above, which is not so simple.

5. If mercury gets on a sofa or carpet, do not throw it away. It is also worth noting that dry cleaning is not the best solution.

The carpet must be folded from the edges to the center to prevent the mercury balls from scattering.

After that, prepare a plastic bag or film and wrap the carpet or carpet that has come into contact with mercury in it. You also need to wrap from the edges to the center.

Remove the carpet on the balcony, in the garage or on the street.

You also can:

* Give your item to an organization that specializes in the collection of mercury-containing waste.

* Call a demercurization specialist to remove the mercury.

6. Do not wash clothing that has been exposed to mercury. It is better to put it into disrepair so that no one wears it.

And even better, such clothes, along with rags and other materials that have come into contact with mercury, are packed in a tight plastic bag and handed over to an organization that collects waste that contains mercury.

7. Do not dispose of mercury down the drain, where it can settle and release harmful fumes and is very difficult to remove from the drain.

The thermometer broke. Why is it dangerous?

Mercury can enter the body in 2 ways - through the mouth or inhalation of its vapors.

If a thermometer breaks, mercury becomes dangerous primarily because of its vapors, the only exception is the situation when a small child could play with a thermometer and accidentally swallow mercury. In the latter case, you need to urgently induce vomiting and quickly dial an ambulance.

mercury poisoning

It can occur without any symptoms. The first thing that may occur in someone who has been poisoned by mercury vapor is irritability, accompanied by nausea. Next comes weight loss.

A person may think that his condition is due to fatigue at work or other similar reasons. But at this time, poisoning quietly creeps up to your central nervous system and kidneys.

Mercury can be poisonous, and symptoms of chronic poisoning can take months, and even years in some cases. This applies to rooms where the air is poisoned with mercury vapor, not much higher than the norm.

The very first thing that mercury vapor affects is the central nervous system. Primary signs of mercury poisoning can be:

Fatigue

Drowsiness

Weakness

Migraine

dizziness

Depression, irritability

Memory impairment, attention

Also, a small trembling of the fingers gradually begins to develop. Then it goes to the eyelids, lips, and in severe cases to the legs and even the whole body.

Poisoning may impair some of the senses, including the sense of touch and smell.

Sweating, frequent urination, and low blood pressure also increase.

In women, in addition to the above, the menstrual cycle may be disrupted, the risk of premature birth, etc., may increase.

If you follow all the instructions, then you will not bring the case to chronic poisoning.

Many developed countries have long switched to electronic thermometers, so it is better to warn yourself against the problem than to face it.

If a thermometer with a mercury tip breaks in your house, you need to implement a clear algorithm of actions to neutralize the hazardous substance. The main thing is not to panic, because the situation, although unpleasant, is not catastrophic, it happens in every family.

Reading this article will not hurt anyone - you will be ready for such a domestic emergency. And yet - have a conversation with your household, especially children, and explain if one of them breaks a thermometer - you can’t hide it, you should immediately tell adults or call the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Why is a broken thermometer dangerous?

Mercury, which is contained in the tip of a thermometer, is a substance hazardous to health. Dangerous are mercury vapors, which, in the case of a developed thermometer, enter the human respiratory system. Wrong actions, alas, can lead to the fact that small balls of mercury will be in the room for a long time and poison the air.

The danger of a broken mercury thermometer is that very mobile mercury balls can easily get into a slot, roll into the far corner of the room, they will not be visible and it will be extremely difficult to get them out. It is these small balls that will then evaporate toxic toxic fumes.

Mercury evaporates at a temperature of 18 C, toxic fumes enter the body mainly through the lungs (80%). With a large evaporation, when there was a large metal leak, mercury vapor penetrates the body through the mucous membranes and through the pores of the skin, affecting primarily the central nervous system, kidneys, and gums.

For children and pregnant women, mercury is most dangerous:

changes in the functioning of the kidneys and lungs can be observed in children
pregnant women are at risk of intrauterine damage to the fetus with chronic exposure to mercury.

So, the mercury thermometer crashed, what to do?

If in a panic you forgot everything you read in our article, dial the number of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (by phone 01 or 112 if you are calling from a mobile phone) or the sanitary service and clearly follow their instructions. If you are able to deal with the problem yourself, then to collect a broken thermometer, you should do the following:

Remove people and animals from the room where the "accident" happened, close the door tightly.
Prepare:
- a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, as well as a soap-soda solution;
- a jar (preferably a three-liter one) with a tight lid, which is filled with cold water or a solution of potassium permanganate by 2/3;
- 2 sheets of paper;
- syringe or medical pear;
- a piece of cotton wool or a brush;
- knitting needle or awl;
- adhesive tape or plaster or electrical tape;
- torch.
Put on rubber slippers (but not fabric ones), which you don’t mind throwing away or put plastic bags on your feet.
Put on a wet gauze bandage on your face (or adapt a piece of cloth) to protect your lungs, as well as rubber gloves on your hands (preferably medical, tight-fitting - it will be inconvenient to perform delicate manipulations in household gloves).
Wet a rag in a strong solution of potassium permanganate and lay it on the threshold of the room where the thermometer broke.
Close the door behind you and open the window. At the same time, windows in other rooms should be closed.
Pick up the thermometer and everything that is left of it, trying not to scatter the mercury remaining in the tip, and place it in a jar of water.
Gently drive small balls of mercury into one large one (they will merge) using sheets of paper.
Drive large balls onto a sheet of paper with cotton wool and drain them into a jar of water.
After the balls of mercury visible to the eye are collected, small ones should be collected with adhesive tape by gluing it to the surface where the thermometer crashed. After processing, the adhesive tape should be sent to a jar of water.
Use a flashlight to examine all the cracks and places where mercury balls could roll (they will glow with a metallic color). From hard-to-reach places, mercury is taken out with a sharp thin object (knitting needle) or sucked into a pear or syringe.
Also put a syringe or pear with mercury into a jar.
If mercury could roll under the plinth, it should be dismantled and mercury collected using the above methods.
Close the jar with a lid.
Wash the floor and surfaces where mercury was collected with a solution of potassium permanganate or a soap and soda solution (you can first first, then second);
Remove clothing, gloves, mask, shoes or bags and put everything in a separate bag, tightly tied. Then proceed with the clothes as described below.
Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and find out where you can hand over a jar with dangerous contents, as well as all items that have been in contact or could be in contact with mercury (gloves, a pear, cotton wool, a floor rag, your clothes and shoes, etc.).
Take a shower, rinse your mouth with soda solution.

Your actions must be careful, but at the same time, you must not stretch the most dangerous part of demercurization - the collection of mercury - for hours. For the next 7 days, try to exclude the stay of people and animals in this room, constantly ventilate it, eliminating the draft. Every day it is necessary to wash the floor and surfaces that have come into contact with mercury with a soap and soda solution or water with the addition of a chlorine-containing disinfectant.

What absolutely can not be done if you broke a thermometer:

A broken thermometer, collected mercury, materials that you used to collect metal, or even if the thermometer is broken and the mercury has not leaked out - you can not throw it into the garbage chute, sewer or garbage container.
If you followed the algorithm and put everything into a jar of potassium permanganate, this jar also cannot be thrown into the above places - mercury is not neutralized, this is only a temporary measure until it is disposed of in a specialized organization.
Do not use a broom, a rag and a vacuum cleaner to collect mercury.
You can not wash clothes in a washing machine and shoes in which you collected mercury, they should be handed over to the Ministry of Emergencies.
Until all sources of evaporation are collected, it is impossible to create a draft in the apartment.

Precautions when handling thermometers

Buy an electronic or infrared thermometer: it is no less accurate, but absolutely safe.
When measuring the temperature of children, hold the child's hand tightly
Do not give it to children
Carefully knock down the readings on it, away from solid objects in order to avoid a sharp blow.
Store in a special plastic case.
In case it crashes, be sure to collect everything according to the recommendations and dispose of it properly.

A mercury thermometer is a device that is in almost every home, with which you can find out exactly what temperature a person has. It is more accurate than an electronic thermometer and is much cheaper. But its only drawback is that it is dangerous in case of violation of integrity. Therefore, it is important to know what to do if a mercury thermometer breaks indoors.

Main danger

The mercury thermometer in the apartment should be kept in a special case, out of the reach of children.

The content of the thermometer is a liquid metal, its fumes are very toxic, it is especially dangerous in the house. Mercury belongs to the first class of hazardous substances, so mercury thermometers are banned in many countries.

If this is not possible, then proceed as follows:

carefully examine the child's skin and hair, in which mercury balls may come across - they will need to be carefully removed;
if a child has swallowed mercury, you need to make him vomit, but if he swallowed glass fragments, then this cannot be done, the glass can injure the esophagus;
remove clothing in which he was in contact with mercury;
take the child outside, before that give activated charcoal to drink;
inspect the room and remove mercury;
it is advisable not to visit the infected room for several days and keep it in a ventilated state all this time;
using a chlorine-containing product to wash the floors throughout the house;
you need to drink plenty of fluids.

Despite the widespread use of electronic thermometers, many people continue to use mercury thermometers, considering them to be more accurate. In fact, they are less likely to make mistakes than their electronic counterparts, but they have a significant drawback - the tips of such thermometers are filled with mercury. And if the thermometer breaks, it can lead to very serious consequences.

If the integrity of the thermometer is violated, mercury flows out of it - a heavy liquid metal dangerous to human health. It begins to evaporate at temperatures above 38 ° C and enters the body through the respiratory tract. At high concentrations, the penetration of toxic vapors through the skin and mucous membranes is possible. First of all, the gums, kidneys, nervous and lymphatic systems are affected.

If the thermometer crashed in the room, the main danger is that the moving balls of mercury can roll into any gap and poison the air for a long time. In this case, the development of chronic heavy metal vapor poisoning is possible.

How to properly collect mercury

The very first thing to do if a mercury thermometer breaks at home is to remove all family members from the room where it happened. This is especially true for children, pregnant women and people over 65 years of age. It is preferable that one person is involved in the elimination of consequences. This will make it easier to estimate the amount of collected mercury.

If the thermometer in the house has broken, then one of the options for solving the problem is to consult with the specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations by phone 101 or +7 (495) 983–79–01. The dispatcher will give clear instructions on how to minimize the possibility of mercury vapor poisoning. You can also clarify what to do with objects that come into contact with mercury.

In the case of self-cleaning the premises, it is necessary to prepare the following items:

glass jar with a tight-fitting lid;
saturated solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
several sheets of paper;
syringe;
cotton balls;
medical mask;
wide tape;
rubber gloves;
torch.

If the thermometer breaks, first of all, you need to protect yourself - put on shoe covers or plastic bags on your feet, gloves on your hands. They should be thin, tight to the hands, medical ones are perfect. It will be inconvenient to collect small balls of mercury in thick household gloves. A medical mask soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate is put on the face - this will protect the respiratory tract.

If a thermometer breaks in an apartment, there is a possibility of chronic mercury vapor poisoning, which requires attention to the condition of all family members.

The doors to the room where the thermometer broke should be tightly closed. On the threshold it is necessary to put a rag soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Since mercury evaporates at air temperatures above 38 ° C, it is better to cool the air in the room. To do this, either fully open the windows, or turn on the air conditioner.

A glass jar is filled 2/3 with a solution of potassium permanganate and a broken thermometer and the remaining fragments are placed in it. Mercury balls visible to the eye are driven into one large one with the help of paper, collected with cotton balls dipped in potassium permanganate, and put in a jar.

After all the visible remains of mercury are collected, strips of adhesive tape are glued to the floor surface in the place where the thermometer crashed. In this way, the smallest balls of poisonous substance are collected, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. If mercury is poured into the cracks, it should be pulled out with a syringe. For this, you can use an ordinary medical pear.

You can find the mercury balls rolled under the plinth with a flashlight - they glow with a metallic color.

After the mercury is collected, all the items used for this are lowered into a jar with a solution of potassium permanganate. The container is tightly closed with a lid. Under no circumstances should this jar be thrown into the garbage chute or trash can. Recycling of such waste is carried out by special organizations. You can find out where you need to take the bank to the dispatcher of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The floor in the room where the thermometer crashed must be washed with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate. Until all the mercury is collected, in no case should the room be ventilated.

All cleaning should be done as soon as possible. In the room where the thermometer crashed, you can not stay longer than 15-20 minutes. Especially if the room is hot and there is no way to lower the temperature.

At the end, you need to remove all clothes, put them in a separate bag, take a shower and rinse your mouth with a soda solution. If for some reason it is a pity to throw away clothes, they are aired in the fresh air for several months. It is better to do this not on the balcony, but in places where people rarely visit - in a garage or a barn. After airing, all things are washed several times in a soap and soda solution.

Under no circumstances should clothes and shoes in which mercury was collected be washed together with other things. Both washing and drying should be carried out separately from the rest of the laundry.

In the case when the thermometer crashed and mercury got on the carpet, then it would be best to throw it away. If for some reason this is not possible, then visible mercury balls are collected with cotton wool or pulled out of the pile using a medical syringe. Then the carpet is hung out for airing for several months. After that, it is better to hand over the carpet to dry cleaning.

If the thermometer breaks and mercury gets on the hot radiator, in this case you must immediately leave the room or apartment, close all doors tightly and call the Ministry of Emergencies. At temperatures above 40 °C, mercury boils. Any metal that gets on hot batteries will evaporate into the air, which can cause acute poisoning.

Basic precautions should be aimed at protecting children. They are the most susceptible to toxic fumes. In addition, a small child, seeing small shiny balls, can start playing with them. If suddenly a child swallows mercury, you should immediately call an ambulance team. Mercury will not cause poisoning, but the smallest pieces of glass from a broken thermometer can enter the digestive tract and cause serious damage.

The consequences if a mercury thermometer breaks can be quite serious. But strict adherence to all rules will help to avoid severe poisoning.

Why is mercury dangerous?

Signs of acute mercury toxicity

Acute mercury poisoning at home is rare. For this, the concentration of its vapors in the air must be quite high. The first symptoms of poisoning appear 7–10 hours after contact with a hazardous substance. They manifest as severe headache, nausea and vomiting. Swollen and bleeding gums are characteristic.

With the development of the process, there is pain in the abdomen, a violation of the stool (diarrhea). Body temperature rises to 40 °C. In case of failure to provide assistance, an incessant cough and swelling of the nasopharynx develops, turning into pulmonary edema.

Signs of chronic mercury toxicity

If a thermometer breaks in an apartment, there is a possibility of chronic mercury vapor poisoning, which requires attention to the condition of all family members.

Mercury affects the central nervous system. Therefore, in chronic poisoning, constant headaches and frequent dizziness come first. Other symptoms include trembling in the limbs, fatigue, general weakness, inattention, absent-mindedness, increased anxiety.

Chronic mercury poisoning is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Constant exposure to toxic fumes can lead to intrauterine damage to the fetus.

Children and elderly family members need special attention. Often the inattention and distraction of the child is taken for bad behavior and disobedience. And in young children, mercury poisoning can cause serious damage to the kidneys and lungs.

Severe headaches and dizziness in older patients can be mistaken for manifestations of vascular changes in the brain. In the absence of treatment, chronic mercury vapor poisoning is dangerous for the development of senile dementia.

If the thermometer breaks, in no case should it be thrown into the trash can or garbage chute. This also applies to those thermometers, when damaged, mercury did not leak out, but remained inside. It can evaporate through microcracks in the glass.

When cleaning mercury, do not use a broom or vacuum cleaner. In the case of collecting mercury balls with a vacuum cleaner, they are crushed into tiny particles that are released into the air through filters. If, nevertheless, mercury was collected by a vacuum cleaner, then it is dismantled, filters, a bag or container are removed, a hose is removed and everything is handed over to special organizations for the disposal of hazardous waste. The vacuum cleaner itself should be thrown away. If this cannot be done, then it is left for several months in the open air for ventilation.

The floor in the room where the thermometer crashed must be washed with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate. Until all the mercury is collected, in no case should the room be ventilated.

The main mistake when cleaning mercury is flushing it down the drain with a stream of water. It is absolutely impossible to do this. Such actions will not cause severe poisoning. Mercury is heavier than water and will be washed away with sewage. But in sewer systems there are knees in which mercury settles. The constant release of toxic fumes can cause chronic poisoning.

In this case, the knee is disassembled and inspected for the presence of mercury balls. When they are found, the contents of the knee are drained into a jar with a solution of potassium permanganate, which is handed over for disposal.

Thermometer Precautions

In order to avoid damage to the thermometer and the consequences associated with this, you need to know the basic safety rules:

The thermometer should only be stored in a special plastic case. If the thermometer falls and breaks in the case, the mercury will not leak out, making it easy to dispose of.
The thermometer should be stored in one permanent place. And it is better if it is not available for children.
Shake the thermometer carefully, avoiding sudden movements and away from solid objects that can be touched by hand.
When measuring the temperature of a child, his hand should be pressed tightly to the body. You can't leave the kids alone.
If possible, it is better to replace the mercury thermometer with an electronic one.

If the thermometer breaks, do not underestimate the danger of mercury vapor poisoning. Therefore, it must not only be properly collected, but also disposed of.

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