How dangerous is a broken thermometer for a child. What to do if the mercury thermometer is damaged. Symptoms of mercury poisoning

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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 mandatory.

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.

Yes, a broken mercury thermometer really poses a great danger to human health. According to the Great Medical Encyclopedia, mercury is a highly toxic poison belonging to the first class of extremely dangerous substances. A medical mercury thermometer contains from 1 to 2 grams of mercury, if the substance is in the room, it begins to evaporate. The concentration of mercury vapor in this case can exceed the maximum allowable rate up to 1000 times. If the source of intoxication is not eliminated in time, then mercury vapor will not disappear on its own, they will remain indoors for many years. For this reason, mercury thermometers are banned in many countries.

What harm is done to health?

A few hours after mercury enters the room, acute poisoning can occur. According to the official website of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, it is manifested by a lack of appetite, headaches, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. A metallic taste may be felt in the mouth, it becomes painful to swallow, salivation and bleeding of the gums appear.

If the mercury particles are not completely eliminated, the fumes will continue to affect the nervous system. With regular contact with the substance, chronic poisoning occurs after 5-10 years. The Great Medical Encyclopedia indicates that it is accompanied by frequent headaches, dizziness, increased fatigue, general weakness, sleep disturbances, irritability, and respiratory diseases. Anxiety, anxiety, depression appear.

Intoxication with a low concentration of mercury, which is called micromercurialism, manifests itself after two to four years of constant contact with mercury fumes. It is characterized by increased excitability and disturbances in the emotional sphere.

In general, intoxication with mercury vapor affects not only the nervous system, but also the cardiovascular system and endocrine glands. The kidneys also suffer greatly, it is through these organs that mercury is excreted in large volumes from the body.

Inhalation of mercury vapor is especially dangerous for children, the elderly and pregnant women. Their body has less ability to resist toxic fumes. Symptoms of poisoning in these groups of people begin to appear faster.

How to treat poisoning?

In case of acute poisoning, you should immediately consult a doctor. You can not self-medicate, treatment should take place in a hospital.

If the poisoning has passed into the chronic stage, then you should also contact the specialists, follow their recommendations and take the medicines that they prescribe

Once I broke an ordinary mercury thermometer. It happened unexpectedly, but without special effects. I collected mercury balls on a sheet, threw them into a bottle of water, and already calmed down, but an unknown force made me look on the Internet, asking a search query: “I broke the thermometer, what should I do?”.

Frankly, I wanted to get adequate advice, all of a sudden I forgot something or there are some actions that are useful in the situation, except for those that have already been done. But there was no smell of adequacy in the Yandex TOP for this request. If I were a more impressionable nature, then after reading the first pages, I would destroy the entire family wardrobe, open all the windows in 20-degree frost, move out to a hotel or even immigrate from countries. The simplest thing that came to mind after reading the first links was to sell the apartment on the same day, call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and surrender to the FSB as a person who caused irreparable damage to the microdistrict.

In anticipation of the rescue and special services, run around the neighbors and warn that it will be dangerous to live in this house in the next 50-60 years. life imprisonment to the hero of the occasion, namely me, for careless handling of such a dangerous device. At least, the top Yandex almost shouted about this to all users on request about a broken thermometer.

But since I am not so impressionable, I smiled and decided to deal with the issue in more detail.
So, what scarecrows do the "sellers of fear" resort to when talking about the danger of a broken thermometer?

A broken thermometer infects 6,000 cubic meters of air – wow, it’s good that all sorts of villains don’t have access to the Internet. And they, thinking about the destruction of the world, are not aware that a nuclear bomb is no longer needed. It is enough to buy thermometers and break them around the perimeter of the city. That's it, the inhabitants cannot be saved. I just see another masterpiece with Bruce Willis, how he saves a pharmacy from terrorists with a large number of mercury thermometers. I think that Chuck Norris can be involved in such a dangerous job. In a word - nonsense and again nonsense.

Mercury from a broken thermometer will infect your apartment for years to come. - Is it true? That is, 1 - 2 grams of mercury, from which it will be possible to collect the largest balls, and this is at least 80% able to spoil the whole atmosphere in an average apartment? Mercury itself is inert and not so dangerous, the danger is its combination with various chemicals. But you're not going to sprinkle the remains of uncollected mercury with any harmful chemicals, are you? Therefore, calmness and only calmness.

Clothing and shoes in which you collected mercury must be destroyed , since small particles will be on it and spread around the apartment - everyone who has broken a thermometer and seen balls of mercury knows very well that it is extremely difficult to hook them and even just drive them onto a piece of paper. How can they stay on clothes and even more so on shoes? Another nonsense from the "sellers of fear."

Call emergency personnel immediately - By the way, this is very reasonable advice for especially impressionable people.

The guys will come and explain that the one who called them is a fabulous idiot, but they must come on a call. I think after talking with them, the thoughts of an urgent sale of an apartment and an escape from the country will pass for many.
Mercury can roll under the plinth or between the floorboards and the apartment will “glow” for many years - another horror story. In fact, a number of environmental organizations conducted research on this topic and in apartments in which one or even two standard thermometers were broken during the year, no anomalies in the air were detected. There is too little in the thermometer to somehow affect the air in the apartment, and the evaporation period is quite short.

Mercury will evaporate, its vapors will fill the entire apartment and will enter the human body with air - mercury is a metal, have you ever seen a flying metal, except for airplanes? Once again, we carefully read: mercury itself, as a substance, is relatively inert and harmless to humans. The danger is represented by its chemical compounds with substances that should either not be in your apartment at all or you obviously will not scatter them on the floor in your right mind.
Urgently notify the neighbors about the danger - for sure, let them finally find out who in their house claims to be the main idiot.

This is the main thing, there are more than one page of advice from the “experienced” on the little things.

Well, now, what is still worth doing if the thermometer suddenly crashed.

Do not panic, calm down and roughly understand the area where the balls and glass rolled.
Remove children so that they do not roll mercury balls and prevent you from collecting them, as well as animals for the same reason, since they have tails and hair.

Take a flashlight, a piece of paper, a plastic or glass bottle half filled with water. Make a kind of scoop out of a leaf, put a flashlight so that it shines along the floor, in this position it will be easier for you to see small mercury balls and start collecting them together with glass and putting them in a bottle. Try to collect the maximum amount, and it will be cleaner and calmer if someone still reads the Internet.

After collecting the balls, wash the floor and go about your business.

For complacency and if the weather allows, ventilate the room.

For those who are still impressed and cannot accept the fact that a broken thermometer is not dangerous, and even if you do not collect mercury from it at all, there will be no health hazard, I suggest thinking about the following topics. Imagine how many thermometers are broken in any average hospital or maternity hospital, for example? If all the horror stories are true, then they urgently need to be demolished. And secondly, if everything is so dangerous, then why are classic mercury thermometers still sold in pharmacies?

In conclusion, if you do not turn it into a weekly entertainment, then a broken thermometer is absolutely safe and will not harm your health and the health of your loved ones in any way. Believe me, in any apartment there are many other things and dangers that you should think about. Well, a broken thermometer is just an unfortunate misunderstanding and a little effort when collecting glass and mercury balls. But in any case, take care of yourself and your loved ones.

What is dangerous broken mercury thermometer

The main hazard is mercury vapor, which is formed at a temperature of +18°C.

Vapors enter the lungs, oxidize and spread throughout the body, negatively affecting the nervous system.

Possible health effects

Mercury vapors entering the body can cause poisoning, worsen the condition of the skin and reproductive system.

IMPORTANT! In case of redness, itching, hair loss, you should consult a doctor.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

If you find the following signs, you need to go to the hospital:

headache;
metallic taste in the mouth;
general weakness
abdominal pain;
pain in the gums;
painful reaction to light;
nausea;
pain when swallowing;
rapid pulse;
pneumonia.

First aid for mercury poisoning

First of all, you need to call for medical help. Then act, depending on the method of poisoning:

if intoxication occurred by inhalation of mercury fumes, you need to take the victim to fresh air, provide plenty of drink;
if poisoning occurred after oral contact with mercury: rinse the stomach with a sorbent, give a glass of milk to drink.

Prevention of mercury poisoning from a thermometer

In order not to become a victim of mercury intoxication, you need to follow a number of rules:

do not stay in a room with fumes without protective respiratory equipment;
provide ventilation in the room;
rinse your mouth with a solution of potassium permanganate, brush your teeth, drink 2-3 tablets of activated charcoal;
drink water.

What to do if the thermometer breaks?

Do not panic, consider where in the house all the tools necessary to eliminate mercury vapor are located.

For advice, call 101. The employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations will tell you what to do.

Mercury from a broken thermometer

The mercury leaked out of a broken thermometer resembles liquid metal balls. One thermometer contains an average of 1 to 2 g of the substance. Such an amount is capable of poisoning about 6000 m 3 of air.

IMPORTANT! Never touch mercury with bare hands. Due to the temperature of the human body, the metal will evaporate faster.

Who to contact first

First of all, you need to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and report that it was with an indication on which surface it happened. Next, act according to the recommendations of a specialist.

If anyone in the house has symptoms of mercury intoxication, call 103.

How to collect mercury from a broken thermometer

For self-collection of mercury, prepare the following items:

rubber gloves;
rubber boots;
torch;
cotton-gauze bandage (respirator or any other means to protect the respiratory tract);
clothes that you don't mind throwing away;
paper;
medical pear (syringe, adhesive plaster, adhesive tape);
jar of cold water;
solution for disinfection (potassium permanganate + bleach or soap + soda);
torch.

Action plan:

Remove everyone from the room in which the emergency occurred.
Open the window and ventilate the room while closing the door.
Put on overalls, a bandage, rubber boots, rubber gloves and go to the scene.
Collect large drops of mercury and fragments of a thermometer with a sheet of paper or a medical pear and put it in a jar of water. It is important to illuminate the surface with a flashlight so as not to miss small balls. They are easy to assemble with tape or adhesive tape.
After all the metal is collected, close the jar tightly and put it in a cold dark place.
The area on which mercury has fallen must be treated at least 2 times. Use either a strong solution of potassium permanganate (add about 2 g + 40 ml of bleach to 1 liter of water), or a soap-soda solution (40 g of soda + 30 g of grated or liquid soap per 1 liter of water).
At the end, wash with soap and change into clean clothes.

IMPORTANT! Clothing and shoes in which sanitary work was carried out must be disposed of.

How to remove mercury from the floor

It is necessary to examine with a flashlight each seam between the tile, plinth or parquet for the presence of metal residues, walk between the joints with a cotton swab dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate.

How to collect mercury from carpet

Remove large balls from the pile with a syringe or a medical pear, then hand over the carpet product to a recycling point.

Demercurization and ventilation of the premises

Demercurization– treatment of mercury waste with special substances in order to minimize risks to human or animal health. For example, washing the floor with a solution of potassium permanganate.

To neutralize mercury vapor, ventilation in the room is important. The air temperature should be below +18 degrees, you need to turn off all sources of heating.

Ventilate the room for at least a week, limiting the access of visitors there.

IMPORTANT! Situations in which you can not clean up mercury yourself:

the room in which the thermometer crashed is not ventilated;

mercury spilled on a hot object.

The child broke the thermometer: what to do?

No need to shout if the child admitted that he broke the thermometer. The next time, fearing such a reaction from the parent, he may hide the mercury waste in the apartment, which will lead to dangerous consequences for the whole family. It is better to praise him for his honesty, take him out into the air and eliminate the dangerous substance on his own.

Signs by which you can determine that a child has swallowed a ball of mercury:

dry mouth;
cyanosis of the skin;
general weakness;
cough.

If you experience these symptoms, call an ambulance.

Before the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to artificially induce vomiting in the child, wash the stomach and give milk.

What can not be done if a mercury thermometer is broken?

Actions that will increase the risk of mercury fumes:

using a vacuum cleaner to collect drops. The design of the vacuum cleaner is designed so that the mercury will heat up and begin to evaporate faster;
broom cleaning. The rods will crush the drops into smaller ones and distribute them throughout the room;
disposal of mercury waste in the garbage chute, drain, toilet bowl. From all these three places, vapors will continue to spread and poison the indoor air;
washing items that have been in contact with mercury in a washing machine. The metal will enter the sewers and settle in the pipes.

Mercury recycling: what to do with a broken thermometer?

Mercury waste can be recycled at the following locations:

house management company;
NPP "Ecotrom";
Waste management.

Mercury thermometer precautions

For the safe use of the thermometer, a number of recommendations should be followed:

do not take the thermometer with wet hands so that it does not slip out;
store the measuring device in a well-closing case;
measure the temperature of the child only under the supervision of adults.

In order to continue to use a mercury thermometer at home, it is necessary to ensure that there are means by which the hazardous substance can be disposed of in the event of an emergency.

Also, it is important to know the phone numbers of services that specialize in demercurization.