What to do if a mercury thermometer is broken in an apartment? Why is a broken thermometer dangerous? Crashed thermometer with mercury consequences

The toxic properties of mercury, including metal, have been known to people for a long time. It was used in the manufacture of gold, mirrors and felt for hats (which is why the poisoning was called the "old hatter's disease"). Its compounds were also used as a poison. It is important to know how mercury poisoning occurs and how to properly provide it to the victim.

Today, the danger of mercury poisoning continues to hang over people. Sources of toxic metal abound, such as mercury thermometers.

The mercury (Hydrargyrum) that fills this device is an unusual metal and an unusual liquid "in one bottle". Like a metal, it surprises a person with a liquid state under normal conditions. Among liquids, it is considered the heaviest substance.

The human body normally contains 13 mg of mercury. Doctors are still arguing about her role. Some believe that it does not carry any function, others say that it is involved in the process of realizing the information recorded in DNA. And it is extremely undesirable to remove it completely from the human body. At the same time, the excess of mercury invested by nature is fraught with serious consequences.

Mercury is dangerous in almost all of its forms. How it will affect a person depends on its type and method of entry into the body. For example, swallowing metallic mercury is not very dangerous, it will simply be excreted in the feces. But if a person swallowed 10 mg of mercury salt, it would lead to death! Metal poisoning manifests itself if 0.4 mg of mercury in terms of a “pure” substance enters the body.

Metal happens:

By inhaling its vapors.
When mercury vapor is absorbed through the skin (transdermally).
With oral ingestion of metal salts.

For a person, the bad thing is that mercury accumulates in the body, and the accumulation process can take years. And only after a few years the poisoning makes itself felt.

The toxic effect of this metal and its compounds is manifested in relation to all human organs and systems. First of all, organs suffer:

through which mercury enters (lungs, skin, intestines);
through which it is excreted (kidneys).

It affects the main filter of the human body - the liver, as well as the control nervous system.

In these organs and systems, as well as in the bone marrow, mercury in the form of salts can accumulate. When the metal enters in small parts, the first place is the damage to the nervous system.

Methylmercury (an organometallic cation) enters the human body both with food and through the skin. It staunchly binds to the hemoglobin of erythrocytes, causing oxygen starvation of organs, including the brain.

Metal vapors penetrate through the respiratory tract, are absorbed through the skin, and are oxidized. They combine with proteins, they are carried with blood to all organs.

Signs of poisoning with this metal depend on its form, amount and rate of entry of the toxin into the body. Penetrating into the human body, mercury vapor causes poisoning in 3 ways.

Types of poisoning

Consider the most common types of mercury poisoning.

fast growing

Rapidly developing, acute poisoning is manifested by disturbances in different systems.

Gastrointestinal injury:

hypersalivation (excessive flow of saliva);
stomatitis and gingivitis with bleeding of the oral mucosa;
signs of intestinal poisoning (vomiting, nausea and muco-bloody diarrhea);
abdominal pain.

Respiratory system disorders:

dyspnea;
cough;
chest pain;

bronchial catarrh and pneumonia.

Symptoms of general intoxication:

chills;
weakness
temperature rise to febrile figures (38-40 ° C).

Quite a lot of mercury can be found in the urine, because it is excreted by the kidneys.

Without help, a person dies in a few days.

slow, chronic

Stage I - signs of CNS damage:

state of indifference
lethargy;
lability of the central nervous system;
cephalgia;
vestibulopathy;
fatigue;
drowsiness.

During emotional stress, the limbs and lips tremble, less often the whole body. This phenomenon is called mercury tremor, it develops with a long period of poison intake in the patient's body.

Stage III - cognitive disorders:

memory impairment;
attention;
ability to concentrate.

For a doctor, the diagnostic signs of this type of poisoning are:

violation of sensitivity (decrease in tactile, taste and olfactory sensations);
increased urge to urinate;
hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).

Some patients have:

tachycardia (increased heart rate);
enlargement of the thyroid gland.

micromercurialism

Stage I - changes in the perception of aromas.

lethargy;
fatigue;
reduced performance.

Stage III - cognitive disorders:

memory worsens;
Attention.

Stage IV - fine tremor.

In women, the menstrual cycle may be disrupted.

Consequences of mercury poisoning

This metal is extremely toxic, any mercury poisoning leads to damage to internal organs. With age, this can indirectly cause cancer, in the case of the liver - cirrhosis, in the case of the kidneys - serious nephropathies.

Methylruty poisoning is extremely dangerous. It ends with atrophy of the brain tissues and, as a result, memory impairment, the work of analyzers (visual, auditory, skin), coordinating disorders. In severe cases, stupor develops, the patient falls into a coma.

Acute, rapidly developing mercury poisoning (any kind) can be fatal. Chronic intoxication is fraught with loss of teeth and the development of chronic damage to the renal tubules, interstitium and glomeruli of the kidneys.

If mercury is absorbed through the skin, it leads to inflammation of the skin (dermatitis). In young children, contact with inorganic mercury can cause CNS disease with severe skin lesions (acrodynia).

Doctors associate mercury salts with the development of:

hypertrichosis (increased hairiness);
photosensitivity (increased sensitivity to sunlight);
the appearance of rashes all over the body.

Tremor and cognitive disorders in micromercurialism reduce the quality of life of people, make it difficult to self-service and lead to disability.

Mercury poisoning of women during gestation (carrying a child) threatens the fetus with a developmental disorder.

First aid for mercury vapor poisoning

Helping a person with such poisoning at home is problematic. If signs of acute poisoning appear, the victim should be sent to the hospital as soon as possible.

If mercury has come into contact with the skin in any form, it must be removed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The skin is thoroughly washed with this solution and blotted. Be sure to see a doctor.

If mercury is accidentally swallowed, it is recommended to wash the stomach: drink at least a liter of a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate, then rinse your mouth thoroughly with potassium permanganate. Reception of enterosorbents is ineffective. The traditional antidote for intoxication with mercury salts is egg white, but it is better to consult a doctor.

If mercury fumes are inhaled, you need to unbutton the collar of your clothes, go to an open window or go outside.

One of the common causes of household mercury poisoning is the destruction of a mercury thermometer. The best way out is to invite a special SES team to clean up mercury (demercurization). The procedure is carried out according to GOST 17.4.1.02-83 using sulfur powder. Sulfur reacts with mercury to form a solid, sulfide, which is easy to remove.

Calling SES is not always possible, and sulfur powder is unlikely to be in your first aid kit. Therefore, for home demercurization use:

Iron sulfate 30 mg per 1 liter of water (sold in garden stores).
Potassium permanganate 20 mg m per 1 liter of water.
A solution of baking soda 1000 mg per 1 liter of water.

Sometimes they make an acetic-manganese or soap-soda mixture. For cleaning, a rag and a prepared solution are not enough. You will need old clothes that you don’t mind throwing away, rubber gloves, shoe covers to protect your shoes, a respirator or a gauze bandage.

You need to start by removing people and animals from the premises until the end of the cleaning (you can offer to take a walk, send them to visit relatives). Then the one who will clean up puts on the prepared suit and gets to work:

Closes the door of the room where the thermometer has broken so that the vapors do not penetrate into neighboring rooms (if this is not a bathroom).
Open windows wide to allow mercury vapor to escape from the room.
Turns on the lighting to the maximum (mercury shines when exposed to light and becomes noticeable).
Put the mercury in a jar with a tight screw cap or other airtight container.
After removing visible metal particles, the place where the thermometer crashed is repeatedly washed with a solution of ferric chloride, soda with soap or a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate.

You can collect mercury with a medical syringe (enema), a syringe without a needle, sponges with a solution of potassium permanganate. A syringe, syringe or pipette is preferable.

Sometimes it is advised to collect mercury on a sheet of paper or remove it from the cracks with a wire, cover it with sawdust so that it does not roll out, and sweep it with a brush. But this metal rolls into balls and "scatters" through the cracks with every awkward movement. Therefore, it is better to use a pipette with a sharp nose or a syringe (an object capable of "sucking" the ball).

And there are 4 simple rules that should not be neglected:

A day later, cleaning must be repeated.
The room should be thoroughly ventilated for at least a week.
You should not sleep in the room where the thermometer crashed for 3-4 days.
Clothes that were cleaned and consumables (rags, syringes, etc.) must be transferred to the SES for disposal.

If you doubt the quality of cleaning, you can check demercurization using analyzers sold in specialized stores. But at home, usually no one conducts such a check. The concentration of mercury in the thermometer is not so high as to cause poisoning after thorough cleaning.

What not to do if the thermometer crashed

Try to remember 4 prohibitions that will help you properly conduct home demercurization:

Don't sweep mercury. Hard twigs of a broom or brushes will break the balls into small particles that will roll around the room. They will be difficult to remove.
Do not remove balls with a vacuum cleaner. Getting on the heating element of the vacuum cleaner, the metal forms an amalgam on the windings, rotor and other parts of the device. When heated, mercury will evaporate more intensively.
Do not throw mercury balls in the trash. Also, you can not throw it into the garbage chute, garbage cans in the yard and into the sewer. It is disposed of by SES.
Do not attempt to wash used clothing. Do not use in the future an item that has been exposed to mercury and in which you have cleaned. These items are disposed of along with cleaning supplies.

Safety rules when using a mercury thermometer

Do not wash the thermometer with hot water.
Store the thermometer in a hard case.
Before use, check the integrity of the case.
When shaking the thermometer, make sure not to hit it against hard objects.
Keep the thermometer where children cannot reach it.

This thermometer contains 10-30 mg of mercury. With the destruction of the capillary with mercury, this metal enters the air and begins to evaporate. Mercury vapor is harmful to the human body.

How dangerous is breaking a thermometer? If all the mercury evaporates at once, and you breathe in all of its vapors, you will die. But, as proven by scientists, this is unrealistic.

If you leave mercury in a room where a person stays for a long time, and it will slowly evaporate, there is a risk of developing chronic intoxication. The risk is higher if an old Soviet-style thermometer crashed. It contained about 50 mg of mercury.

If most of the mercury was removed mechanically, you need to intensively ventilate the room for several days and there will be no poisoning. If you still have concerns, you can call the "101" service. The duty brigade will give advice by phone. At low risk, which creates a single broken thermometer, a special group will not leave. But you will receive qualified advice.

How to get rid of mercury indoors

You can safely get rid of mercury at home only by removing it mechanically (with a syringe, douche). Simply washing the floor with manganese or another solution will not neutralize mercury. Wash the floor with cold solutions to remove it and immerse it in water. Mercury does not evaporate in water.

Why You Can't Neutralize Mercury at Home

Mercury reacts with ferrous sulfate and potassium permanganate in the presence of sulfuric acid. This metal does not react with all other recommended substances (with the exception of ferric chloride):

In chemistry reference books, you can find substances with which mercury reacts, for example, ferric chloride. As a result of this reaction, sublimate is obtained. The substance is solid, easily removed, easily soluble in water, but very poisonous!

Therefore, you need to work exclusively in rubber gloves. After removing the sublimate, chemists advise treating the floor with sodium thiosulfate to convert the remaining mercury sulfide into sodium salt and hydrogen chloride. But collecting mercury with a syringe will be easier and faster.

Mercury spills are often advised to fill up with hygroscopic substances (the same salt or baking soda). But mercury is not water, it is not absorbed into sorbents. Salt or soda only envelop the balls. The ability to envelop very small mercury specks is used when washing the floor with soda and soap or manganese with vinegar.

How to prevent mercury poisoning from a thermometer

Today, there are many options for medical thermometers that do not contain mercury. These are electronic thermometers, and non-contact infrared thermometers. Use one of the safer types of thermometers, especially when taking children's temperatures.

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Almost every person has seen rolling balls of mercury from a broken thermometer, causing concern and panic of others. How dangerous is a broken mercury thermometer in an apartment? What are the health consequences of a broken thermometer? And what needs to be done? You will read about this and much more in our article.

Is it dangerous to break a mercury thermometer in an apartment?

Mercury is included in the group of the most toxic substances that cause severe poisoning and chronic diseases. A broken mercury thermometer is dangerous in that the peculiarity of this metal is its ability to evaporate at room temperature from 18 ° C, vapors enter the respiratory tract and even penetrate the body through the skin.

Mercury is very active, it easily forms oxides in the air, which pose a great danger to a living organism - be it a person, an animal or a plant.

Mercury from a broken thermometer is also dangerous in that its physical properties are such that, due to its very high surface tension, it is easily crushed when touched into small drops-balls that roll into cracks, fall into the pile of clothes, into gaps on shoes and furniture. Left unnoticed there for a long time, they form vapors that are odorless and cause poisoning.

A typical thermometer contains about 2 g of mercury. It will take at least 3 years to evaporate this amount. However, poisoning develops after a few days. This indicates a high toxicity of the substance and the need to take urgent measures.

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks

It happens that the thermometer has broken, but the mercury has not leaked out of it. In these cases, you need to carefully put it in a jar with a solution of potassium permanganate, tightly close the lid and take it to the sanitary and epidemiological station for disposal.

In cases where mercury has leaked out, it is necessary to immediately begin measures that include 3 groups:

Emergency preventive measures;
Preparing to clean the room from mercury;
Room cleaning.

emergency measures

If a mercury thermometer breaks, then the following emergency measures must be taken:

First of all you need to quickly remove people and animals from the infected premises and remove indoor plants;
Further you need to open a window or balcony to lower the air temperature and reduce evaporation, reduce the concentration of vapors;
Close the front door tightly and put on its inside a large rag moistened with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

Preparing to clean up the room

You need to quickly prepare everything you need for cleaning:

A bucket or basin with a soap and soda solution;
2 standard sheets of white paper, a couple of newspapers;
Rubber pear or large syringe;
soft brush;
Scotch;
A glass container with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate and an airtight lid;
Torch.

Be sure to prepare yourself for cleaning. To do this, you need to wear tight clothes that cover the whole body, so that it would not be a pity to throw it away later. Put new plastic bags on your feet over your shoes, put on a protective mask moistened with potassium permanganate and thick rubber gloves.

Room cleaning

In order to collect mercury, you need to moisten the brush in a solution of potassium permanganate and carefully, with light movements, roll it onto a sheet of paper, pour it from the sheet into a jar of potassium permanganate, and put the remains of a broken thermometer there.

Small balls of mercury can be collected with a compressed rubber syringe (syringe), as well as adhesive tape (adhesive tape). All this is placed in a manganese solution and tightly closed with a lid.

For control, it is necessary to examine all parts of the floor with a flashlight, mercury reflects light well and the remaining particles will be visible.

After removing mercury, you need to do a wet cleaning with a soap and soda solution, you can use potassium permanganate or chlorine-containing products. Close the door tightly, leaving the windows open, change clothes, put everything together with the inventory in a tight plastic bag for disposal and tie it tightly. Then you need to take a cool shower, rinse your mouth well with soda solution.

What not to do while cleaning

During cleaning, the following actions are unacceptable:

Clean without means of protecting the skin, respiratory tract;
Stay indoors continuously for more than 15 minutes, you need to go out for 10 minutes to get some air;
Use a broom, vacuum cleaner;
throw away leftovers thermometer and mercury in the trash can, garbage chute, sewerage;
Use a variety of chemical cleaners;
Throw in machine wash clothes in which cleaning was carried out.

Proper Disposal

It is important to remember how dangerous mercury from a broken thermometer is, and therefore the thermometer, collected mercury and all objects in contact with it (clothing, brush, rags, gloves, syringe and syringe) are subject to special disposal.

A jar with the remains of a thermometer and mercury in a strong solution of potassium permanganate and a tightly tied plastic bag with the rest of the items should be taken to the nearest sanitary and epidemiological station, where there is a round-the-clock mercury service.

You should also go there if there is even the slightest doubt that the mercury is not completely collected., could roll into the cracks of the floor and under the plinth. A special service will arrive to take measurements of the concentration of mercury vapor, if necessary, perform proper sanitization.

What to do if a child breaks a thermometer

A child can not only drop a thermometer, but also bite it, swallow particles of mercury. If she got inside, then it is much less dangerous than her vapors, inhaled by the lungs. However, if this happens:

Need to call an ambulance;
Wash the baby's hands and face;
Rinse your mouth with a solution of soda;
Give activated charcoal to drink.

The hospital will conduct an examination, particles of mercury will be visible on the X-ray. A broken mercury thermometer is also dangerous because glass fragments can get into the stomach along with mercury. Therefore, examination and supervision of a doctor is required.

It is very important to keep calm and composure, you can not scold the child, because if this happens next time, which is not excluded, then he can simply hide the fragments of the thermometer and not report it. It is important to be extremely attentive to his well-being.

As for cleaning and disposal, it is carried out according to the same, uniform rules. In the room where the child is located, it is necessary to do repeated cleanings with a soap-soda or manganese solution 3-4 times a day within a week. Before you return the baby to your room, you need to call the sanitary epidemiological station or the Ministry of Emergency Situations to analyze the air for mercury vapor.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

In acute poisoning with mercury vapor, the following symptoms are characteristic:

General malaise;
poor appetite;
Headache;
Salivation;
Metallic taste in the mouth;
Nausea, vomiting;
Pain in the throat when swallowing;
Stomach ache;
Rapid loose stools with blood;
Cough, shortness of breath.

With prolonged inhalation of small doses of vapors of the remaining mercury, chronic poisoning develops., which is manifested by symptoms from the nervous system - headaches, nervousness, insomnia, hand tremors and even mental disorders.

On the part of the circulatory system, palpitations and a decrease in pressure are characteristic.

There may be pain in the lower back, a decrease in urine output, swelling due to kidney damage. Different people have their own pathology, depending on the state of their organs.

First aid for poisoning

If there is a suspicion of mercury vapor poisoning, the victim must be taken out of the contaminated room, call an ambulance and proceed with the following measures:

Lay on side, provide access to fresh air;
Rinse the stomach;
Give activated charcoal to drink taking into account age and body weight;
Drink plenty of water- clean drinking water, milk, not hot tea with lemon, you can give rehydrating solutions with glucose (regidron, glucosolan), they will reduce the concentration of toxins in the blood;
In the absence of consciousness monitor your breathing so that the tongue does not sink and does not block the throat, you need to tilt your head back and slightly pull the lower jaw forward, holding its corners, you can also pull the tongue forward, holding it with your fingers and wrapped with gauze;
Monitor the pulse, pressure and respiratory rate, in case of termination of these functions, be ready to conduct.

Possible health effects

In severe mercury poisoning, a formidable complication is organ failure - blood circulation, respiration, liver, kidneys, which can lead to coma and death.

Such cases occur, as a rule, in case of poisoning as a result of industrial accidents. However, if the thermometer crashed in the apartment, then the consequences of mercury vapor are sufficient to develop health hazards such as:

Disorders of the function of the nervous system - memory loss, cognitive function, parkinsonism;
Damage to the cardiovascular system - arrhythmia, hypertension;
Acute and chronic pneumonia;
Liver damage - toxic hepatosis, biliary dyskinesia;
Toxic nephrosis of the kidneys;
Reduced immunity, against this background, infectious diseases are frequent, even tuberculosis can develop.

The consequences can develop gradually, for a long time and appear after months and years.

This must be remembered, and after poisoning, regularly visit a doctor, undergo laboratory and other types of research.

Preventive measures

It is quite possible to avoid the case of breaking the thermometer, following individual preventive measures:

Keep the thermometer in a special case out of the reach of children;
Do not leave children unattended when measuring temperature;
When shaking off the thermometer, you can not take it with wet hands, it is better to do this over the bed, and not over the floor and other hard objects;
Prefer a modern safe thermometer to a mercury one - an electronic, infrared, sticky thermotest, for babies there are models in the form of a pacifier.

There are also measures of public prevention. Despite the fact that the mercury thermometer has faithfully served humanity for almost 300 years and is the most accurate among all its “relatives”, it has been banned in Europe since 2007 precisely because of the increasing mercury poisoning.

Russia has also signed this convention, which will enter into force in 2020. However, without waiting for it, you just need to purchase a modern safe thermometer. Its cost is much higher, but it is not commensurate with the price of health.

Attention: due to the fact that mercury is a highly toxic poison, it is classified as hazard class 1, many countries have abandoned the use of mercury thermometers and banned their production. Not only the metal itself is dangerous, but also the organic compounds of the substance.

A standard thermometer contains approximately 1-2 grams of liquid metal. This dose is enough to provoke poisoning. Clinical signs do not appear immediately, because mercury can accumulate in the body.

This cannot be done if the thermometer has broken:

Vacuum. A working vacuum cleaner heats the mercury, and it begins to evaporate faster.
Create drafts that spread the poisonous substance throughout the house.
Sweep.
Dispose of in a trash can.
Take things out of the room.
Leave children or animals in the room where the thermometer has broken.

The procedure for a broken thermometer:

Destroy the clothes that were worn.
Put on a gauze bandage or a special respirator mask on your face.
Collect mercury.
Open all windows to ventilate the room as much as possible.
Take a sorbent inside: smecta, activated carbon, polysorb, enterosgel, etc.
Take a shower and wash your body thoroughly.
Clean the place where the thermometer crashed with bleach.
Contact the demercurization service.

In order not to accidentally break the thermometer, you need to use it only for its intended purpose. It must be kept out of the reach of children in a special case.
If you find signs of a mercury leak, contact a specialist immediately.

Certified experts on site will measure mercury vapor in the air and determine its source. When working, only special equipment is used. It is included in the list of the State Register of Measuring Instruments.

After detecting signs of mercury, demercurization activities will be carried out.

Within 7 days after processing, specialists go to the site and carry out repeated measurements, completely free of charge.

What is the danger of a broken thermometer?

Mercury is a liquid metal and when it hits the surface, it takes the form of small balls. They are very mobile. It is very difficult to collect the substance on your own. Mercury pellets leak quickly from a broken thermometer and can roll very far or get stuck in upholstery or carpet. So the toxic substance will continue to evaporate and poison the body.

The toxicity of mercury is due to its sensitivity to elevated temperatures. So, it evaporates already at +18 degrees Celsius, so poisoning occurs mainly through the respiratory tract. But with large pollution, the metal penetrates the body through the skin and mucous membranes.

Interestingly: if ingested, the absorption of mercury in the gastrointestinal tract will be minimal, the amount of metal that enters the bloodstream in this way is insignificant. But the danger is shards of glass. They can leave behind cuts and significant injuries.

What are the health implications

So why is mercury from a thermometer dangerous for a person? It should be remembered that 80% of all mercury vapor from a broken thermometer enters the body through the lungs. The toxic metal has several effects: local, expressed in an irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs and lungs, and general - destructive changes in the organs and tissues of the body.

Organs and tissues affected by mercury in the first place:

Kidneys.
Gums.

Do not ignore the incident, because even 1 broken thermometer can cause illness for the whole family.

Mercury vapor poisoning can manifest itself in acute and chronic forms. In the first case, the metal, entering the bloodstream, quickly spreads throughout the body and causes symptoms. In the second, signs of intoxication appear after a few months or years.

The degree of poisoning depends on the resistance, that is, in a weak organism, the symptoms will appear more strongly, and on the amount of mercury that has entered the bloodstream. Pregnant women and children are also at risk.

Serious pathologies and disorders in the body can be triggered by even small doses of mercury if they are inhaled for a long time.

Destructive processes affect the following organs and systems:

Kidneys.
Liver.
Lungs.
Thyroid.
The cardiovascular system.

If mercury enters the lungs, breathing problems can occur, up to pneumonia. And also develop diseases of the kidneys, eyes. Poisoning often ends in loss of vision or paralysis. Therefore, it is important not only to collect mercury from a broken thermometer in time, but also to notice signs of intoxication in order to help yourself and other victims.

Signs of poisoning

Symptoms of intoxication manifest themselves in different ways. It depends on many factors:

Forms: chronic or acute poisoning.
Individual characteristics of the organism: the state of resistance, the presence of the disease.
The amount of mercury in the blood.

Acute form:

Weakness, apathy.

Metallic taste in the mouth.
Vomit.
Dizziness.
Chills.
Bleeding and swelling of the gums.
Sore throat when swallowing.
Headache.
Nausea.
Diarrhea.
Increased salivation.
Presence of blood in vomit and feces.
traces of mercury in urine

If a large dose of mercury is ingested or in severe cases, in addition to the above symptoms, the following can be added:

Violation of the heart rhythm.
Rise in body temperature.
Dyspnea.
Cough.

Chronic form:

Migraine.
Deterioration of well-being.
Insomnia.
Loss of appetite.
Increased nervous excitability, can manifest itself in the form of irritability.
Tremor in the limbs, when hit with large doses of mercury - the whole body.
Pathology of the kidneys.
Constant fatigue.
Hair loss, their fragility.
Violation of memory and concentration.
Depression.
Enlargement of the thyroid gland.
Violation of the heart rhythm.
Decreased blood pressure.

If symptoms are ignored and treatment is delayed, pneumonia can develop. Mercury poisoning is sometimes fatal. With an increase in the concentration of a toxic element in the blood, the patient's condition worsens.

First aid for poisoning

Treatment should be carried out only in a hospital, under the supervision of specialists. At the first sign of poisoning, you need to call an ambulance. Before the arrival of doctors, the victim needs to be given first aid, this will alleviate his condition. If a person is conscious, it is necessary to carry out a series of manipulations:

Induce vomiting and gastric lavage.
Put the victim to bed and keep him calm.
Ventilate the room and ensure a constant supply of fresh air.
Take sorbents.
Provide plenty of drink.

In case of loss of consciousness, a person should be laid on one side, eliminating the sinking of the tongue. You need to open the windows so that there is constant access to fresh air. And also you need to relax clothes that hold your breath.

Prevention of poisoning

To avoid the consequences of a broken mercury thermometer, it is better to use electronic or infrared. But if there is no confidence in such thermometers, then using the device, follow the rules:

Do not give the thermometer to small children.
Hold the child's hand firmly against the body so that the thermometer does not slip out.
Store the device only in a special case out of the reach of children.
When shaking the thermometer, do not stand near furniture or other hard objects to eliminate the risk of accidental contact with them.
If the thermometer is broken, then mercury and glass residues must be quickly removed.
Instrument fragments and toxic metal residues must be properly disposed of.

Procedure for a broken thermometer

Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations should eliminate the consequences of mercury leakage. Especially if it concerns residential premises, it doesn’t matter if the thermometer in the apartment crashed
or elsewhere. But if it is not possible to call specialists, then you need to adhere to a number of certain rules:

Do not panic. After all, excessive excitement will prevent you from coping on your own with the consequences of inaccuracy.
Remove strangers from the room, especially children, animals and people with reduced immunity.
If it is winter outside, then it is worth opening all the windows. So cold air will reduce the evaporation of the metal.
Eliminate sources of drafts, they can carry mercury balls to hard-to-reach places.
You need to wear protective equipment: gauze bandage and gloves.
Should not be changed. It is better to remove mercury in the same shoes, so the spread of mercury around the house is minimized.
It is necessary to limit the place where the thermometer crashed.
After cleaning, you need to drink a sorbent. You also need to drink plenty of water.
Take a thorough shower.
Clothing, gloves, gauze and all items that have come into contact with mercury must be collected in a plastic bag and destroyed.

We collect mercury

Liquid metal is a health hazard. Its vapors, penetrating the body, begin to destroy organs and tissues, leading to numerous diseases and even death.

If you broke a thermometer in an apartment, what should you do? It is better to place it in a container to prevent further leakage of mercury. From a flat and uniform surface, it is better to collect mercury balls in an airtight container.

In order for the process of collecting mercury not to cause inconvenience, it is necessary to illuminate the scene well. This must be done from the side. So the balls will be visible. It is also important to observe the direction of movement: from the periphery to the center, so the metal will be collected in one place. It will be easier to isolate him.

What you need to collect a toxic substance:

Sealed container with cold water or a solution of potassium permanganate.
Brush with soft bristles.
Torch.
paper or foil.
Adhesive tape or adhesive tape.
A syringe with a thin needle or a rubber bulb.

Important: you must follow protective measures and work in disposable gloves and a respirator mask.

How to remove mercury if the thermometer crashed:

From the periphery to the center, you need to slowly roll the balls towards each other.
This is done with a piece of paper or foil.
Using a wet brush, you need to move the mercury into the prepared container. It will settle to the bottom of the liquid and will not evaporate quickly.
Small balls or those located in hard-to-reach places can be collected with adhesive tape, adhesive tape, a syringe or a rubber bulb.
If the question is tormenting: how to wash the floor if the thermometer has broken, then it is better to treat it with bleach or a solution of potassium permanganate. You can also make a hot water solution of soda and soap, this treatment will prevent the mercury from evaporating.
If it is not possible to remove the contamination immediately, then you can cover everything with a damp cloth. It will reduce evaporation.

Important: when cleaning the room, you should take breaks in work for about 10 minutes so as not to inhale a large amount of mercury.

Cleaning various surfaces

How to remove mercury if the thermometer crashed on the floor

If the mercury balls rolled into small cracks, then they can be covered with sand and then swept away with a damp brush. If there are many such cracks on the floor covering, then it is best to change part of this covering. Skirting boards should also be replaced when metal is rolled behind them.

After all the manipulations, it is necessary to treat the surface with whiteness or a brown manganese solution. Let it sit like this for a few days, then rinse with water. It is also important to ventilate the room often and avoid drafts.

Removing mercury from carpet

If you do not feel sorry for him, then the best thing to do is to properly dispose of it. But if this is not possible, you must adhere to a number of rules:

Having wrapped from the edges to the center and packed in polyethylene, it is necessary to take it out into the street. Away from residential buildings.
Carefully knock out the carpet, so that mercury and other contaminants fall on the film.
Leave to air out for a few hours.
After the carpet is brought back, it must be disinfected with whiteness, a solution of manganese or a hot aqueous solution of soda and soap: 40 g of both substances per 1 liter of water.

To achieve complete removal of mercury from carpets, it is still better to take the help of professionals.

What to do if a child breaks a thermometer

It is not worth trusting young children to measure body temperature on their own. It is better to wait until they grow up a little in order to understand the full danger of the toxic substance inside. But it can also happen that the child accidentally breaks the thermometer.

The most important thing for a parent to understand is that in no case should you scold a child, especially yelling at him. After all, next time he can hide the fact that the thermometer has deteriorated through his fault. Then the whole family will breathe mercury vapor and get poisoned.

If the time and place where the thermometer crashed is not known, it is best to call specialists. They will determine the content of mercury vapor and disinfect the premises.

But if it is not possible to resort to the help of a professional, then you need to follow this algorithm of actions:

Examine the child's hair and skin. This will help to understand if there are mercury balls on it. They need to be collected.
If there is a possibility that a poisonous substance has got inside, then it is necessary that the child vomit. But if he swallowed the remains of the glass, then this should not be done, since the fragments can injure the walls of the esophagus or stomach.
Give drink sorbent.
Remove to fresh air.
Remove mercury.
Ventilate the room and, if possible, do not use it for several days.
Disinfect the room with bleach or manganese solution.
Drink plenty of fluids.

Do not worry if the mercury balls were swallowed by a child. This substance in liquid form is practically not absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract into the blood. But it’s still worth showing the baby to the doctor to prevent swallowing glass fragments.

It is easier to prevent negative consequences than to eliminate them later. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the safety of your family in advance. It is necessary to store the thermometer in an inaccessible place, in a protective case.

What actions should not be taken

In order not to aggravate the situation and prevent the spread of mercury balls around the apartment, it is important to follow the previously given recommendations. And also there are a number of prohibitions that must be followed when collecting a toxic substance.

You can't do this:

Use a broom. So mercury balls can become even smaller and roll into hard-to-reach places in the room.
Vacuum. This will speed up the process of evaporation of the toxic substance due to the warm air flow.
Wash surfaces with a cloth. So mercury will simply rub on the floor, carpet or furniture.
Throw out a damaged thermometer and objects that have come into contact with mercury outside. There, evaporation will increase, and the air will be contaminated.
Cannot be disposed of in the garbage chute.
How dangerous is a broken thermometer in an apartment if the substance is flushed down the toilet? This cannot be done: it settles on the pipes and continues to evaporate, poisoning the family.
When burying or burning toxic substances, significant damage is caused to the environment.
To prevent the movement of mercury around the house, do not open windows and doors until the substance is completely collected.
Wash clothing contaminated with mercury.

You can't turn on the air conditioner. Mercury balls can settle on the filter and poison others.

How to dispose of a harmful product

Where to call if the thermometer crashed, many people ask this question? Such cases should be dealt with by the Ministry of Emergency Situations or SES. But employees are reluctant to accept applications, as they believe that nothing bad will happen from 1-2 grams of mercury. But if there is a paid point for the disposal of such raw materials, then it is better to go there.

If the thermometer is broken in the apartment, then what to do? Action algorithm:

Place the mercury and parts of the thermometer in an airtight container.
Drive out of town.
Bury deep into the ground.

The same must be done with clothing and improvised items that have come into contact with a toxic substance. It is advisable to cut the clothes so that no one can use them.

It is important to understand that a mercury thermometer can pose a real danger to human life and health. Even a small dose can cause poisoning of the body. The danger is that mercury can travel long distances and is very difficult to collect. It evaporates quickly and is able to accumulate in the body, worsening the human condition. It is important to correctly understand what to do if a mercury thermometer crashes, as well as eliminate the consequences. But it is even more important to use and store it correctly.

What is the danger of mercury from a thermometer for a person - a person asks such a question when faced with a deformed mercury thermometer. To measure the exact temperature of the body, thermometers using alcohol, glycerin, mercury, as well as electronic devices, have become widespread.

As practice shows, mercury thermometers show the most accurate readings of body temperature, which is associated with the high thermal conductivity of mercury and an almost linear coefficient of expansion of the metal.

Along with such an important advantage, mercury-based thermometers have a very harmful, and even dangerous drawback - the toxicity of the substance and the ability to accumulate in the body, which can even lead to deaths of poisoning.

Features of a mercury thermometer

In home and even hospital conditions, it is mercury thermometers that are widely used, since they give an error of only 0.01 ° C. Such an error is achieved due to the amazing properties of the liquid metal - mercury.

The characteristic of mercury is quite remarkable. The melting point of this chemical is only -38.8 ° C, which means that under normal conditions it is in liquid form. Like all metals, mercury in a thermometer expands as the temperature rises, and contracts as the temperature falls.

Also, liquid mercury does not have the ability to moisturize and remain on the glass from which thermometers are made. This makes it possible to achieve a high accuracy of the measuring instrument by using glass tubes with a very small cross section.

It is important to remember that mercury is nothing but a highly toxic poison and belongs to the 1st class of very toxic substances.

The above properties make this metal indispensable in the manufacture of thermometers. However, mercury and any compounds with it are quite toxic and poisonous. Because of this reason, some countries have even abandoned the use of mercury-based thermometers.

The danger of a damaged mercury thermometer

With proper and careful handling of a mercury thermometer, if stored in a place protected from children, in a special case, used only under adult supervision, such an instrument does not pose a danger.

But in the case when the thermometer with mercury nevertheless crashed, both glass fragments and leaked mercury from the glass tube pose a danger to the human body. This substance is characterized by a very low melting point, which is not typical for other metals - 38.8 ° C, and already at a temperature of + 18 ° C it evaporates.

It must be remembered that mercury evaporates both outdoors and under water.

Vapors of liquid mercury are very toxic, since when inhaled, the vapors enter the lungs, then the mercury is oxidized and already in the oxidized state negatively affects the state of the body. The ions of the element, which are formed during the oxidation of the metal, are very poisonous.

The effect of leaked mercury from a thermometer on the human body

A mercury thermometer may contain dangerous liquid mercury in an amount of 1 to 2 grams of the substance. This volume of pure mercury outside the glass tube will be enough to poison the human body of varying severity. Symptoms of such poisoning may not immediately appear, since the metal is characterized by the property of accumulation.

Depending on the duration of exposure and the concentration of mercury, the following types of poisoning are distinguished:

Chronic poisoning: with constant contact with metal, with long work in a closed room with a vapor concentration slightly higher than the MPC. It is expressed by general weakness, severe unreasonable fatigue, headache, increased irritability and dizziness. May show up after a couple of years.
Acute poisoning: at a high concentration of the substance, it can happen in just 2-3 hours. It is expressed by a metallic taste, pain in the abdomen, head and when swallowing, as well as lack of appetite. Such poisoning is often accompanied by pneumonia.
Micromercurialism: at very low concentrations of mercury, but for a long time of 5 to 10 years. It manifests itself in the form of prolonged respiratory diseases, increased bleeding of the gums, tremor of the fingers, various disorders of the nervous system and a violation of the cycle in young women.

Basically, mercury in toxic vapors enters the human body through the lungs. When it comes to a large spill of mercury, then intoxication can also occur through the mucous membranes and pores of the skin. Basically, the metal has a detrimental effect on the nervous system, respiratory tract and kidneys.

If the substance enters the human body with food, then it does not have a significant effect, since almost all of it is excreted by the body through the intestines without absorption into the blood. Removal of the remaining part occurs for a long time through the kidneys.

It must be remembered that mercury is characterized by a neurotoxic effect on the human body, occurring in the form of destruction of nerve cells.

Particularly sensitive to the action of vapors are people with a weakened immune system, as well as small children and pregnant women.

Prolonged penetration into the body of small but dangerous doses of mercury can provoke the onset of severe inflammatory processes in important organs and systems. Basically, intoxication with mercury vapor leads to pneumonia, paralysis and total blindness.

Given all aspects of the negative, it is necessary not only to identify signs of mercury exposure in time, to properly clean up and dispose of spills, but also to immediately provide emergency assistance.

How mercury toxicity manifests itself

Mercury accumulates in the body, it is not excreted from it. This is what causes chronic poisoning. What symptoms are observed?

Prolonged and severe headaches.
The taste of metal in the mouth.
Apathy, drowsiness and weakness.
Tremor (trembling) of the hands, nervous tic.
Irritability and frequent mood swings.
Sometimes there is diarrhea.

If poisonous mercury accumulates in the body for years, then working capacity, memory, concentration of attention gradually deteriorate, and mental illness occurs. Sometimes hair falls out, teeth become loose, some diseases become chronic. Such symptoms appear after a few years.

The problem of a broken thermometer becomes especially serious if there are small children at home. They are especially susceptible to poison, since the children's body cannot fully resist it. If the family has a small child, an electronic thermometer is needed.

From a broken thermometer is observed:

shortness of breath when breathing;
violation of the digestive tract;
bluish complexion.

If these symptoms appear, you need to call an ambulance. Gastric lavage is usually carried out to remove mercury oxide and relieve signs of intoxication. If prompt medical attention is not followed, then you can induce vomiting yourself. According to statistics, in 65% of cases these are mild poisonings..

Help with intoxication

Mercury poisoning can only be treated in a hospital setting. Since mercury from a broken thermometer is very dangerous, first aid must be provided immediately at home. It consists in alleviating the condition of the poisoned person and consists of the following measures:

organize the flow of fresh air into the room;
rinse the stomach with plenty of water;
induce vomiting;
apply activated charcoal;
provide plenty of fluids;
provide the patient with bed rest.

These measures should be carried out if the victim is fully conscious. When a person is unconscious, he must be quickly released from tight clothes, laid on his side. You should also exclude the sinking of the tongue and ensure the supply of fresh air.

What to do if the thermometer accidentally crashed

In the event that a mercury thermometer is damaged in a medical institution, at work or at home, it is necessary to call emergency services and follow the following recommendations:

There is no need to panic, it should be precisely determined that it was the mercury thermometer that crashed and the place of such an incident.
Remove all people and pets from the room where the device was damaged, except for those who have mercury residues on their clothes or wool. This is how localization is carried out and the spread of spilled mercury to other rooms is excluded.
Prevent people from entering a room that is poisoned with mercury.
It is necessary to open windows and close all doors to ensure the flow of fresh air and exclude drafts that can spread mercury vapor to neighboring rooms.
They put on shoe covers, rubber gloves, a respirator or a moistened cotton-gauze bandage, which is moistened with water or a strong soda solution to protect the respiratory organs from the action of vapors.
When collecting balls of mercury, you must be extremely careful not to step on the glass fragments of the thermometer.
After cleaning up mercury, you need to drink plenty of any liquid and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
For preventive purposes, you should drink activated charcoal in a therapeutic dosage.
All collected balls of mercury must be placed in a glass container with water, and then closed with a tight lid.
All utensils and clothing that were used to collect mercury should be placed in polyethylene and disposed of.

Work on collecting poisonous metal must be carried out promptly, especially if the room is warm. Otherwise, mercury will begin to evaporate and cause damage to the respiratory system.

Almost every home first aid kit contains a mercury thermometer. When used correctly, this attribute is perfectly safe for humans. If the thermometer accidentally breaks, do not panic, it is important to collect all the metal balls as soon as possible.

Living in a safe space

Why put yourself and your loved ones at unnecessary risk? Today we are surrounded by many harmful substances with which the modern world is saturated. There are safe electronic thermometers that accurately and quickly show body temperature..

The thermometer looks like a flat stick with a thin tip and a display on the body. He gives evidence within a minute after contact with the body. It will not break, reliable and accurate. Working life: from 2 to 5 years. So mercury thermometers have already exhausted themselves and will soon disappear altogether.

Therefore, when making a choice in a pharmacy, buying drugs or medical devices, read the instructions, be interested in their safety. And stop buying a mercury thermometer. Take care of your health and the health of your loved ones and do not put yourself at unnecessary risk.