A memo for those who underestimate the dangers of mercury. List of errors in case the thermometer crashed. Tips on how to collect mercury and what to do next. Mercury, or rather its vapors, are very dangerous. Mercury poisoning occurs for a long time and without obvious symptoms. Irritability, nausea, weight loss - many attribute it to fatigue and a busy work schedule. But poisoning slowly sneaks up on the body, and long-term exposure to mercury can even lead to insanity. Therefore, if the thermometer has broken, the mercury balls must be urgently removed and certain precautions must be taken.
Why is mercury dangerous?
Mercury vapors are classified as hazardous substances of the 1st class. Mercury at room temperature (+18 ° C) emits toxic toxic fumes that enter the body through the respiratory tract. Moreover, the higher the temperature, the faster the evaporation occurs. It is more dangerous if someone swallows it, such as a child. Then it is necessary to induce vomiting and call an emergency medical ambulance.
The problem is aggravated by the fact that on impact, mercury breaks down into small drops that fall on the floor: parquet, plinth, carpet … They are not noticeable, but if you do not take any measures, the liquid metal will actively evaporate and gradually poison the body and air. This poison is cumulative, i.e. gradually accumulates in the body and causes chronic intoxication.
Mercury poisoning symptoms
Mercury poisoning can go unnoticed for a long time. After contact with her, health problems arise no earlier than after 2-3 months. And if the cleaning of mercury was not carried out carefully or its vapors penetrate from neighboring rooms, then symptoms may appear after several years. Since the vapors do not exceed the norm, the body is poisoned slowly.
After some time, depending on gender, age, immunity and the degree of poisoning, the first symptoms may be as follows:
- Metallic taste in the mouth, increased salivation.
- Weakness, increased fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, general malaise, apathy.
- Weakening of memory, performance, attention.
- Loss of appetite, problems with stool.
- Vomiting, nausea.
- Headaches, dizziness, tremors in the limbs.
- Dermatitis, anemia.
- Kidney damage.
- Decrease in the acuity of smell, taste, skin sensitivity.
- Increased sweating, frequent urge to urinate.
- An increase in the thyroid gland, a decrease in pressure, a change in cardiac activity.
But if mercury vapor continues to accumulate in the body, then more serious problems appear:
- The central nervous system is affected.
- Mental illness appears.
- Atherosclerotic phenomena progress.
- The liver and gallbladder are affected.
- Hypertension and tuberculosis are formed.
In addition to the above, women have additionally disrupted the menstrual cycle, pregnancy is difficult, the threat of miscarriage, premature birth, mastopathy increases, and the children born may be weak and mentally underdeveloped.
How to collect mercury if a thermometer breaks
According to ecologists, mercury can be removed independently, without calling the Ministry of Emergency Situations. To do this, you should adhere to the following rules.
- Move children, animals and people out of the premises who will not participate in the mercury cleaning.
- If the weather is cold, open a window to provide fresh air, which will slow down evaporation. At the same time, make sure that there is no draft, otherwise mercury vapors "scatter".
- Put shoe covers or plastic bags on your feet to avoid stepping on the liquid iron.
- Cover your hands with rubber gloves.
- Put on a disposable gauze mask soaked in soda solution on your face.
- Prepare unnecessary glassware with water, or better with a solution of potassium permanganate (for 1 liter, 2 g of potassium permanganate).
- Take 2 sheets of paper.
- Soak a cotton swab in a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate. An alternative to a cotton swab is a syringe, scotch tape, paint brush.
- Use a cotton swab (syringe, tape, paintbrush) to roll the visible balls of mercury onto the paper. Collect drops and debris from the walls of the room to the center of the incident.
- Transfer the collected substance from the paper to a glass container.
- Use scotch tape to scoop up the remaining small particles. Stick them to the surface where the vapor source was.
- Place the scotch tape in a jar.
- Also put all the pieces of the thermometer in the jar.
- Close the container with mercury with a lid and place it on the balcony, away from heating appliances.
- Treat the place where mercury has crumbled several times a day with a concentrated solution of chlorine or potassium permanganate several times a day. Remember! Potassium permanganate leaves stains on light surfaces!
- Inspect the surface with a flashlight: the remaining mercury glows.
- With potassium permanganate or soda solution, rinse your shoes, gloves, rinse your mouth and throat, brush your teeth and take 2-3 tablets of activated charcoal.
Where to return a broken thermometer?
Neither a broken thermometer, nor the collected mercury, nor the objects with which it was collected, can be thrown into the garbage chute or flushed down the toilet. Hand over the bank to a mercury collection and disposal center. Call the reference or sanitary and epidemiological station and experts will prompt you the address where to hand it over. Report a broken thermometer to the Ministry of Emergencies. You will be told what to do or will come home. It's free. If the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations cannot promptly help, call the paid demercurization service.
What can not be done if the thermometer breaks?
- Do not vacuum up the mercury. It heats up the metal, which leads to faster evaporation. In addition, particles will settle on the motor and parts of the vacuum cleaner. The device will become a hotbed for the spread of toxic fumes and you will have to get rid of it.
- Do not sweep with a broom. The hard rods will break the balls into small particles, and it will be difficult to assemble them.
- Do not collect the balls with a rag, otherwise increase the area affected by the toxic substance.
- Do not create a draft. It will carry toxic fumes.
- If mercury gets on your clothes, do not wash them. Otherwise, the substance will remain in the washing machine, basin, bath. It is better to recycle your clothes.
- Do not pour mercury down the toilet or sink. It will settle on pipes, from where it will be difficult to extract.
So that is all! Remember the danger and be careful in using the thermometer. And if you break the thermometer, you already know what to do. The video below will help you to clearly see how to properly collect mercury if a thermometer breaks.
What to do if a thermometer breaks, how to collect mercury:
