Is a broken mercury thermometer really dangerous? Mercury: real and imaginary threats

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Each of us has a medical thermometer at home, in other words, a thermometer. But it is so fragile, made of thin glass, and if there are also children in the apartment who could carelessly break it... We all know that a thermometer contains mercury. And a parent’s nightmare is coming home from work to see a broken thermometer on the floor and a small number of characteristic shiny balls-drops of metallic mercury. Is this mercury dangerous for humans, is it dangerous if it gets into internal environment apartments, is there a danger from the thermometer for children? These and others similar questions We are often asked by concerned people. We will try to answer them in order.

Is a broken thermometer dangerous for human health if it happens in an apartment?

If the mercury was collected immediately, then no, it is not dangerous. If not immediately, but after some period of time, then it’s also not scary. 1 gram of metallic mercury is a small amount to cause an increase in vapor concentration to critical levels. Intensive ventilation - and the air is almost clean.

Danger exists in the following cases:

1. mercury got on upholstered furniture, carpets, parquet cracks, children's toys, clothes, and rolled under baseboards.

2. The mercury was not collected, but was spread on the soles of slippers or boots throughout the apartment by an inattentive or careless tenant or a child.

3. mercury entered the digestive tract of a person (usually a child).

The worst case is the third. In such situation clinical picture poisoning manifests itself immediately: Vomiting, suffocation and other signs that are impossible not to notice. An ambulance must be called immediately.

In the first case, the danger is that the carpet pile, upholstered furniture very well absorbs small drops of mercury, which can be completely invisible in the structure of the fabric but, nevertheless, actively evaporate into the internal air of the room.

The same is true in the second case: mercury gets into the cracks of the parquet, into the pores of the linoleum throughout the apartment and evaporates evenly, filling the internal air with toxic fumes.

If mercury enters the child’s digestive tract, the symptoms are immediately visible - vomiting, bluish skin, etc. It's impossible not to notice.

How dangerous is mercury in indoor air?

I don’t think it’s worth mentioning again about the dangers of mercury; it’s worth saying that, according to Russian sanitary standards(SanPiN) the permissible maximum concentration of mercury in the indoor air of a residential premises is 0.0003 mg/m3. This figure is calculated in such a way that a given concentration of mercury vapor in the inhaled air does not have a detrimental effect on human health and does not cause chronic poisoning mercury. It should be noted that, according to doctors, in a healthy adult, signs of chronic mercury poisoning begin to occur when this level is exceeded. MPC concentrations in the air of a living room by 2-3 times. However, for children, 1.5 times the excess is sufficient.

It is worth considering that if the apartment you live in is not new, then there is a possibility that the thermometers in it have already been broken and the remaining vapors of the “old” mercury may, together with the “new” one, exceed the MPC level.

Is one enough broken thermometer to “poison” the air in the apartment?

No. According to our measurements, if a thermometer is broken in an apartment and mercury is not removed, then the concentration of vapors usually does not exceed the maximum permissible concentration. However, in half of the cases, mercury vapor was still detected (in concentrations 5-6 times lower than the MPC), even if all the visible part of the metallic mercury, according to residents, was collected. Several times we discovered significant excesses of mercury vapor concentrations in the indoor air of the apartment (2-4 times). However, in these cases, there was repeated release of mercury into the room from broken thermometers (2-3 times), most often on carpets and upholstered furniture.

How long will mercury remain in the apartment if it is not collected?

IN ideal conditions(good ventilation, large volume of the apartment) mercury in such an amount (less than 1 gram) will evaporate in several months without causing harm to human health.

What to do if the thermometer breaks?

Do not panic! Try to collect all the mercury without using a vacuum cleaner (!!!), treat the floor and objects on which mercury has fallen with a solution of potassium permanganate (concentration is at your discretion), or with a chlorine-containing preparation. (ideally ferric chloride, but for interior spaces it is poorly suited). In the future, it is advisable to regularly wash the floor with a chlorine-containing preparation (several times) and intensive ventilation. For questions regarding the disposal of mercury (it cannot be poured down the drain or thrown out the window), it is better to contact the district SES. If there are any doubts about the correctness of the actions to remove mercury, the presence of residual mercury vapor in the room, or the search for mercury (if the place where the mercury got into is unknown), it is advisable to call specialists. Environmental specialists will conduct required measurements and/or searching for mercury residues.

Something bad happened at home - the thermometer broke, what to do and how to minimize the consequences of this incident.

Every apartment has a home first aid kit. medical thermometer, also known as a thermometer for measuring body temperature. It is used when a family member is ill. In most families these measuring instruments traditionally mercury.

Sometimes, as a result of careless handling, a thermometer with mercury breaks. Over the decades, especially in big family There may be several cases when a thermometer breaks at home. Only a small number of people have electronic thermometers that do not contain free mercury in their design.

What are the dangers of free mercury?

Mercury is in normal conditions the only one liquid metal Very high density, reaching 13.3 kg/l. Of all the metals available to an ordinary person, this is the hardest.

The use of mercury in thermometers is explained by the fact that the increase in the volume of mercury when heated by 1 degree is almost the same at low and high temperatures. That is, its coefficient of thermal expansion is practically independent of temperature, which means high measurement accuracy is ensured.

A medical thermometer (thermometer) contains no more than 2 grams of this metal.

According to the degree of danger, mercury belongs to the class of substances that have extremely high toxicity.

By her own metallic mercury, at correct handling with her, little harm.

Why is a broken thermometer dangerous?

Mercury vapor is a cumulative poisonous substance, therefore, once it enters the human body, it is not removed from it for a long time, and from some organs it is not removed at all. Mercury vapor, which has neither odor nor taste, accumulates, that is, accumulates in human organs. This process can go on for many years with an increasing result of the toxic effect. This property is one of the reasons for the high susceptibility of mercury, its vapors and compounds.

Even in small quantities, for example, when a thermometer in an apartment breaks, it causes great problems with a person’s health.

The impact is on the immune, digestive, nervous system. Affects the kidneys, liver, bronchi, lungs, esophagus, stomach, intestinal tract, organs of vision, skin and many more etc.

Metal vapors and its soluble compounds are especially dangerous. Small balls of mercury that are not collected or collected in unsealed containers evaporate quite quickly.

Cleaning vacuum cleaners, gold items, carpets, etc. from mercury. In other companies, this procedure is considered impossible!

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Many people are concerned about questions - what to do if the thermometer breaks? How dangerous is a broken thermometer at home or in an apartment? What to do in this case with mercury? We will try to answer this question in the most detailed way.
Let's start by finding out - How dangerous is a broken thermometer?? No, it is not dangerous if you do it correct actions. The fact is that if mercury evaporated instantly, then just two grams of mercury from a thermometer could pollute as many as 7 million cubic meters of air. This is significantly more than the volume of air in a large shopping complex. But, thank God or nature, large balls of mercury will evaporate for several years. Even if we assume that you do not collect mercury balls from a broken thermometer, but leave them lying around, then with normal ventilation, air pollution will not exceed the norm.

What to do with mercury from a broken thermometer?

As I said above, large balls of mercury take a long time to evaporate and are not so dangerous. But if you try to remove mercury that has leaked from the thermometer, then you need to know how to do this. Moreover, the situation can be significantly worsened if, when trying to collect the balls, you break them into smaller ones. This is usually done when a person tries to sweep them into a dustpan with a broom. The smaller the mercury spheres, the faster they evaporate.

Is it possible to remove mercury from a thermometer with a regular vacuum cleaner?! No you can not! The vacuum cleaner crushes the balls even less and can even scatter mercury dust. What to do with mercury at home on the floor or other surface where it leaked when the thermometer was broken?!

Sequencing:

Step 1. Open the window as much as possible to ensure maximum ventilation.

Step 2. Take glass jar with a tight lid. Pour water into it. If you have potassium permanganate, make a light solution.

Step 3. Wear rubber gloves. If you have a gauze bandage, be sure to use it.

Step 3. Collect large balls of mercury using a syringe or at least sheets of paper. You can also use a rubber bulb. Remove small balls using tape, tape or tape.

Step 4. Treat the area where the mercury was with chemical cleaning agents.

Step 5. Contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations to dispose of it. collected mercury Right.

Note: Did you know that the process of cleaning a room from mercury has a special name - demercurization. This word comes from English name mercury - Merkury, that is, Mercury in honor of the ancient Roman god.

Everyone knows that mercury is a liquid metal. Its melting point is 38.5°C. This is why mercury thermometers are so convenient for measuring temperature. But it often happens that the thermometer falls and breaks into pieces. Small balls of metal accumulate on the floor. Is mercury dangerous for humans? This substance itself is non-toxic. But the vapors that begin to appear upon direct contact of the metal with warm air in the apartment, cause great harm to the body.

Even those few grams that spill out of home thermometers can poison. When exposed to fumes, the following symptoms appear after some time:

1. 1 Nausea.
2. 2 Severe headache.
3. 3 Cough.
4. 4 Diarrhea.

In some people this symptomatology is more pronounced, in others it is weaker. It all depends on how strong the body is. The amount of evaporation is also of great importance.

Everyone who has a broken thermometer tries to restore order and remove the fragments and mercury balls. But people don't always know how risky it is to leave the smallest particles of mercury on the floor. Often, having limited himself to simple sweeping, a person does not attach of great importance the fact that small balls of mercury may remain in the cracks of the flooring.

They can stay there long enough long time, gradually doing his dirty deed. But mercury is practically not removed from body tissues; it gradually accumulates in them.

Types of poisoning

Mercury belongs to the first class of danger poisons.

In acute poisoning, its vapors affect the respiratory system. Shortness of breath and coughing begins. The heart suffers, vision weakens. The gums become swollen and begin to bleed. I suffer from severe nausea, which often ends in vomiting. Stomach upset begins.

But such a violent reaction of the body to mercury vapor if the thermometer is broken is very rare. Possible only in small children.

More often, residents are exposed to slow poisoning, which is considered chronic. It has the following symptoms:

1. 1 Pulmonary diseases.
2. 2 Development of hypertension.
3. 3 Apathy.
4. 4 Irritability.
5. 5 Long-term headaches.
6. 6 Tremor of fingers.

All these health problems can appear several months, or even years after the mercury leaks from a broken thermometer. Toxic vapors affect the nerves and weaken them, disrupting the functioning of the digestive, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. Hair begins to fall out, teeth become loose. Subsequently, severe chronic diseases develop.

But fortunately, in most cases when mercury spills from a broken thermometer, the impact on the body is minimal. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, shortness of breath appears, and the face acquires a bluish tint.

Even if the poisoning has signs of mild intoxication, you should seek medical attention. medical care. In most cases, flushing the body in a timely manner will eliminate the symptoms and remove mercury oxide.

Precautionary measures

If a person breaks a thermometer, you should clearly understand how dangerous mercury is for residents in the apartment. Accordingly, take measures to eliminate all the smallest balls that have rolled across the floor.

First of all, you should protect yourself before cleaning. After all, drops of mercury immediately begin to interact with the air. The positive temperature in the apartment contributes to the gradual evaporation of the metal.

You should wear a respirator. And if you don’t have one, just tie a linen scarf over your face so that it covers your nose and mouth. Put rubber gloves on your hands. Under no circumstances should you work or pick up mercury balls with your bare hands. The fumes can penetrate through the pores in the skin.

For cleaning, take an old terry towel. Moisten it in a solution of potassium permanganate, squeeze it out a little and place it on top of the place where the thermometer was broken.

Then carefully bend the edges of the towel and roll it up. Usually most of mercury balls are attached to wet fleecy fabric.

For greater safety, you should carefully examine the coating in the place where the thermometer broke. Especially if the floor is wooden, small particles of metal can get into the cracks between the boards. We need to find these elements and try to extract them.

IN otherwise should be called special service, which will most likely open the floors and process special composition the whole room. There is no need to regret even if it comes to this. The damage that will be caused by eliminating the consequences of a broken thermometer is several times less than health problems in the following months and years.

A terry rag and all items that owners use to eliminate the consequences of a small home accident should be wrapped tightly in a plastic bag and buried outside. It is not recommended to throw it in the trash, as the bag may be damaged during transportation to a landfill.

How to protect yourself in the future?

In a house where there are elderly people and small children, it is better to use thermometers to measure body temperature without mercury. Fortunately, pharmacies offer various safe analogues. These, in particular, include electronic thermometers.

They are a short flat stick with a thin tip and a display on the body. It is enough to apply the end to the bare body, and after a split second the thermometer emits a loud signal. Indicators indicating body temperature appear on the display.

Do not be biased towards electronic thermometers. They are quite accurate. After all, this is how babies’ temperatures are currently measured.

The service life of electronic thermometers varies from 2 to 5 years. Of course, unlike glass ones, they are not stored for years in the medicine cabinet. But they can withstand impacts on the floor, do not break, and do not contain harmful substances.

If the apartment owners prefer mercury thermometers, safety precautions must be observed. Store the thermometer in a special separate box. When using, try not to knock down the mercury above the floor, but do it above the bed.

Children should not be allowed to take on their own mercury thermometer, knock down the thermometer readings or play with it. You should always remember the dangers of mercury from a broken thermometer.