How can you remove mercury from your body? Lead and leaded gasoline

Mercury is the 80th element of the periodic table and the only liquid metal On the Earth. And today it is becoming unjustifiably a huge problem for people high concentration mercury in food.

So, the number of products with mercury today includes not only traditional seafood, but also those that were not previously noticed, for example, milk and meat, bread and pasta. World organization health care is already sounding the alarm about this, since unlike most other toxins, mercury compounds without taking special measures They are not removed from the body, but accumulate in it and poison a person. Therefore, this situation cannot be left to chance.

Prerequisites for increasing mercury concentrations in food products

An increase in the concentration of mercury compounds in food products, observed during recent years, is connected, sadly, with technical progress, which in itself is a positive trend. More precisely, not so much with the improvement of our lives itself, but with the irresponsible attitude of people towards the achievements of this very progress. In relation to the “mercury” issue, we are talking, first of all, about obsolete mercury lighting devices or, more simply, about energy-saving light bulbs, the boom in popularity of which has swept the whole world, and which are used in everyday life more and more often.

Manufacturers of these devices in huge letters and bright drawings on boxes with light bulbs they warn that used devices should not be thrown away with ordinary household waste, which is taken to general waste landfills. Mercury lamps must be disposed of at special enterprises, ensuring protection against the spread of this toxic element and, in particular, against the penetration of mercury into food products and raw materials. However, many citizens (to be fair, we note that not all) ignore this urgent requirement.

As a result, a burnt-out energy-saving light bulb goes into the trash and ends up in a landfill along with milk and juice cartons. Here it will be mercilessly crushed by a bulldozer, and the mercury from the glass flask will partially fall into groundwater, and partially into the atmosphere in the form of volatile mercury compounds. And then these toxins will settle on wheat fields, be absorbed through the soil by vegetables and fruits, and penetrate into the feed of farm animals. As a result, we will get bread, sausage, butter and cabbage with increased content mercury

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

We should start with the fact that it is not mercury itself that causes harm to a person; for objective reasons, it cannot enter the body directly unless one accidentally swallows the spilled contents of a broken glass. mercury thermometer. Dangerous are organic compounds mercury, formed during the natural cycle of atoms of this liquid metal.

The symptoms of mercury poisoning are extensive. Here and headache, and aching joints, and fever. The person becomes lethargic and incapable of active life. In the most severe cases, paralysis occurs. The danger of mercury is that it accumulates in the body and is not eliminated from it naturally. And when a large dose accumulates, death occurs. That is, mercury poisoning is far from a joke.

Prevention of mercury poisoning

Due to the objective increase in the number of products containing mercury, it is very important aspect becomes a forced cleansing of the body from this toxic substance. At the same time, this is not only about medical procedures like flushing circulatory system or taking cleansing supplements.

There are foods made from certain ingredients that bind and neutralize mercury, after which it is eliminated from the body. Foods that release mercury include various vegetables and some edible seaweeds. For example, so revered by many seaweed contains special substances called alginates. They effectively block mercury compounds and do not allow mercury to be reduced to its atomic state - the most dangerous.

If algae are still some kind of exotic, then beet available everywhere. Eat beetroot salads and borscht, and you will dramatically reduce the likelihood of mercury poisoning. Beets contain enzymes that neutralize the effects of toxins. Shows very high performance oat decoction. And in mandatory diet employees of enterprises whose technological cycles use mercury, including apple marmalade. present in it pectin effectively fights mercury compounds.

At the right approach In terms of nutrition, the threat of mercury poisoning is not that bad. By the way, read this very informative article and then you can definitely live in peace! Follow our recommendations and be healthy!

In 1972, the news spread around the world: in Iraq, over the course of several days, more than six and a half thousand were admitted to hospitals with severe poisoning. rural residents. Almost 500 of them died. All victims had previously eaten home-baked bread.

The reason was quickly established: the peasants ground flour for bread from seed grains, which were given to them by the government of the country. At the same time, preliminary awareness-raising work was carried out among the population and people were warned that the grain was pickled with a product containing methylmercury.

However, as often happens, the peasants did not believe the government. In addition, there was a great desire to obtain flour from good grain at a time when there was no other kind.

Fish poisoning

Mercury poisoning due to the consumption of certain foods is not that uncommon. And if in the story described above the tragedy happened due to the carelessness of people, then, for example, in Japan in the fifties, residents of the entire Minamata village became victims of severe poisoning from ordinary fish, which they mainly ate, catching it in the ocean.

Scientists have discovered the strongest concentration of mercury in fish. By regularly eating seafood, people, without knowing it, accumulated mercury in their bodies until its amount reached critical levels.

The name of the Japanese village gave the name to the disease associated with mercury poisoning - Minamata syndrome. Almost all over the world they know that fish contains the most mercury. IN different countries ah MPC (maximum permissible concentration) of mercury in fish varies from 0.3 mg/kg (in Russia) to 1 mg/kg (in Finland, Sweden, Japan).

This fish should not be eaten.

Scientists from different countries have even identified the types of most and least dangerous sea inhabitants, depending on the presence of mercury in them. For example, king mackerel, shark and swordfish are generally not recommended for consumption. Just a little - less than 200 grams 2-3 times a month - you can eat sea bass, American lobster, and sea trout.

The much-loved herring, as well as cod, carp, perch and skate, should not cause concern, unless, of course, you eat them as often as bread. The lowest concentration of mercury was observed in squid, whitefish, salmon, shrimp, sardines, and freshwater trout.

Mercury soils

The rapid development of heavy industry leaves no opportunity for environmentally friendly clean products in most regions of the world. Mercury is found in many industrial products and is often used in technological processes.

Getting into the soil, water bodies, this metal poisons everything around. By eating vegetables and fruits grown on mercury-contaminated lands, grains in the form bakery products, meat from animals that ate grass growing on mercury soil, fish from contaminated water bodies, humans accumulate mercury in their bodies.

This is especially dangerous for expectant mothers. Japanese scientists have found that women who survive mercury poisoning may subsequently have offspring with various pathologies- 8 people for every thousand newborns.

Signs of poisoning

As accumulators of mercury in human body first of all, the oral cavity, kidneys, stomach, and large intestine protrude. Dizziness, migraine, insomnia, bouts of nausea - clear signs mercury poisoning. If measures are not taken in time, the disease will develop in the form of decreased joint mobility, speech impairment, and a decrease in the number of white blood cells.

Warning about the dangers of eating fish, Russian, American and Japanese doctors say: under no circumstances should you completely exclude fish from your diet. It will bring more harm than good. In addition, omega-3 and fatty acid, which fish are so rich in, are quite capable of reducing the effects of mercury on the body. Unless, of course, you eat fish infrequently and in moderation.

Mercury is one of the most necessary, and at the same time, one of the most hazardous metals. Mercury is used in various fields human life activity. However, if permissible norm mercury in the body is exceeded, this can lead to serious illnesses. The most dangerous thing about mercury intoxication is that symptoms can appear several years after poisoning. In addition, their course is very similar to normal food poisoning, which complicates diagnosis.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

With mercury poisoning, headaches appear, hands shake, and some abnormalities can be observed nervous system. Man feels chronic fatigue, he may begin to see and hear poorly. Symptoms of mercury poisoning may include stomatitis, memory impairment, excessive irritability, pallor skin. Also, an increased dose of mercury in the body can be determined by the condition of the nails - they become dull, the whitish hole along the edge of the nail disappears. With mercury poisoning, sweating decreases.

High levels of mercury in the body can be diagnosed by laboratory tests urine and blood. In addition, mercury accumulates in the hair, so hair testing is also relevant in this case. Considering approximate speed hair growth, you can even determine at what time the poisoning occurred.

One of the most important factors is to determine where mercury could have entered the body. To do this, you need to designate as in Everyday life we encounter this heavy metal and how to avoid mercury poisoning.

Mercury in everyday life

Mercury can enter the body from the following objects that surround us every day:

The most common is mercury thermometer. It is found in every home, and sometimes it happens that the thermometer is accidentally broken. In this case, you need to call special services (for example, the Ministry of Emergency Situations), which will help in collecting and disposing of mercury. If this is not possible, you urgently need to remove all people from the room where the incident occurred. Then put on the wet one gauze bandage on the nose and collect the mercury with pieces of paper without touching it. Place the mercury in a jar of water and thoroughly ventilate the room for several days. Only long-term weathering will help get rid of mercury vapor. Then dispose of clothing and any items that came into contact with the mercury beads, including the broken thermometer itself. Usually in every city there are special services that deal with mercury disposal.
Fluorescent gas-discharge or mercury vapor lamps also contain mercury. If they are damaged, it is better to take all measures for the collection and disposal of mercury described in the previous paragraph. There are special services for recycling used lamps of this type.
Excess mercury in the air may be a consequence of the presence of industrial plants and factories nearby. Combustion products of coal and oil may also contain unacceptable levels of mercury.
Salty sea water tends to accumulate mercury. This affects marine life. Often an excess of this heavy metal can be observed in fish and other seafood. Therefore, before consuming this type of delicacy, you must ask the seller or restaurant employees for a certificate confirming that the product complies with the standards for mercury content.
Some vaccines also contain mercury. At correct dosage this proportion of content does not exceed established standards.
Old-style dental fillings (amalgam-containing) also contain mercury in their composition. When visiting a doctor and before dental treatment, make sure that the doctor uses modern materials for filling.
If mercury is released into water and that water is then used to irrigate fertile land, crops may have high levels of mercury. Frequent use Such fruits and vegetables contribute to the accumulation of mercury in the body. To determine the presence and dose of mercury in certain products, it is necessary to conduct laboratory tests.

These simple rules and recommendations will help you, if possible, protect your body from mercury entering it. However, if intoxication has already occurred, you need to figure out how to remove mercury from the body quickly and most safely.

If you suspect mercury poisoning, you should urgently consult a doctor. He will prescribe medications that will cleanse the body of mercury intoxication as safely as possible. All medicines are made on the basis of sulfur, which, when entering the body, binds mercury into sulfur sulfide. Sulfur sulfide does not dissolve and is excreted from the body naturally. Medications, which are aimed at providing first aid after mercury poisoning, do not combine with each other, so only a doctor can prescribe them.

Unithiol. This is a medicine used against intoxication various types. This drug should not be used if cardiovascular diseases and peptic ulcers.
Succimer. This is an antidote medicine that binds mercury in digestive tract and takes her outside. May cause allergies to some components contained in the composition.
Taurine. This is a sulfur-containing acid that is very effective in combating mercury.
Methionine. An amino acid that accelerates metabolic processes in the body, thereby removing mercury out.
D-Penicillamine. It has pronounced anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Contraindicated in various diseases kidneys.
Tetacin-calcium. Given medicine used when acute poisoning heavy metals. Typically used for mercury vapor poisoning.
Sodium thiosulfate. An anti-inflammatory agent aimed at the treatment of poisoning of a different nature.

One of the most useful herbs against mercury poisoning - this is cilantro (or coriander). A couple of bunches of the plant need to be chopped and filled with a liter of water. When the decoction is sufficiently infused, it should be drunk like tea. Can be sweetened useful decoction honey. There is a warning - do not prepare coriander decoction in a metal container. Otherwise, the grass will remove the metal from the dish into the water you are going to drink.
If mercury gets into gastrointestinal tract, as an antidote, you need to give a person to drink egg white mixed with water.
Rice is an excellent adsorbent. It absorbs heavy metals and removes them out. If you suspect mercury poisoning, eat more cooked rice.
Eat seaweed in any form. It contains alginates, which neutralize mercury.
deal with any toxic substances beets will help. It contains flavonoids that fight intoxication in the body.
There is a lot of starch in potatoes, which, like rice, absorbs harmful substances.
A decoction of alfalfa grass, oats, apples, raspberries, blackberries, apricots will help remove excess mercury from the body. You can strengthen the work of the liver with the help of garlic, sesame, rose hips and calendula decoction.

First aid for mercury poisoning

In case of mercury poisoning, you should definitely call a doctor. While the ambulance is on the way, you need to provide first aid to the patient. In case of mercury vapor poisoning, you need to rinse your mouth with potassium permanganate or other antiseptic solution. Induce vomiting in the patient by drinking large amounts of liquid. Give the patient 8-10 tablets of activated carbon to drink.

Mercury is excreted in the urine, so to remove at least some of it heavy metals You need to give the person a lot to drink. You can drink it as an antidote raw protein chicken egg or a liter of milk. Also, to cleanse the intestines, the patient is given a laxative and an enema.

These simple rules will help you give a person the first medical care before arrival qualified specialists. Correct, coordinated and timely actions can cost a person his life.

Every year you do in the house general cleaning. So why is your body worse? It also needs to be periodically cleaned of accumulated heavy metals. Keep an eye on your health so you know how to get mercury out of your body quickly and safely.

Video: drink for removing heavy metals

In all regions where heavy industry is well developed, there is a risk of pollution environment mercury compounds. Getting into the soil and water, and from them into the human body, mercury can gradually accumulate in it and subsequently cause serious poisoning. Morphological changes in case of poisoning, they are most often observed where the metal concentration is highest - in the oral cavity, kidneys, stomach and colon. Headaches, frequent dizziness, insomnia, nausea, and problems concentrating appear. Later, speech is impaired, the number of white blood cells decreases, and joint mobility disappears. Mercury vapors and compounds are especially dangerous. They are the ones that can accumulate in the body of humans and animals.

Mercury compounds can poison some foods. Many countries have adopted special regulations establishing the maximum permissible content of mercury in food products. For example, in the USA this norm is 0.5 mg per 1 kg of food, in Italy and France – 0.7 mg/kg, in Sweden, Japan and Finland – 1 mg/kg, in Russia – 0.3 mg/kg.

Flour, flour products, cocoa beans, and chocolate can be poisoned by mercury. A serious “storage” of it is raw animal kidneys. It is because of this that in cooking, before serving the kidneys, they are first soaked several times, changing the water, and boiled twice. After such manipulations, the mercury content in the product is reduced by half.

The most harmful... fish

In terms of mercury content, fish and seafood are considered the most harmful. The same applies to canned fish. To the world aquatic ecosystem Tens of thousands of tons of inorganic mercury compounds are released annually. Microorganisms in contaminated water convert these compounds into methyl mercury ions, which then accumulate in fish, squid, and shrimp. European and American associations health authorities have repeatedly issued recommendations to their citizens not to use sea fish and seafood more than once a month. First with a problem mercury poisoning 50 years ago. encountered Japanese people who traditionally eat a large number of fish. Since then the situation has only gotten worse. By the way, the River fish. The European Elbe River is considered the most polluted in the region; its waters are constantly poisoned by waste from enterprises in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Slovakia. Eating fish from the Elbe is prohibited today.

The most great content mercury is observed in organisms certain types fish These include marlin, grouper, combhead, swordfish, king mackerel and shark. These varieties of fish and their products are strictly not recommended for consumption.

Mercury is a very toxic cumulative poison (that is, capable of accumulating), so it is less in young animals than in old ones, and more in predators than in those objects that they feed on. This is especially true for predatory fish such as tuna, where mercury can accumulate up to 0.7 mg/kg or more. Therefore, it is better not to abuse predatory fish in your diet. From other animal products, the "accumulator" of mercury is the kidneys of animals - up to 0.2 mg/kg. This of course applies to raw product. Since the kidneys during cooking are pre-soaked repeatedly for 2-3 hours with a change of water and boiled twice, the mercury content in the remaining product is reduced by almost 2 times.

From plant products mercury is found most in nuts, cocoa beans and chocolate (up to 0.1 mg/kg). In most other products, the mercury content does not exceed 0.01-0.03 mg/kg.

Lead

Lead is a highly toxic poison. In most plant and animal products, its natural content does not exceed 0.5-1.0 mg/kg. Most lead is found in predatory fish (up to 2.0 mg/kg in tuna), mollusks and crustaceans (up to 10 mg/kg).

Basically, an increase in the lead content is observed in canned food placed in the so-called combined tin container, which is soldered to the side and to the lid with solder containing a certain amount of lead. Unfortunately, soldering is sometimes of poor quality (solder splashes form), and although cans are additionally coated with a special varnish, this does not always help. There are cases, though quite rare (up to 2%), when canned food from this container accumulates, especially during long-term storage, up to 3 mg / kg of lead and even higher, which, of course, is a health hazard, so the products in this combined tin container do not store for more than 5 years.

Lead and leaded gasoline

Much lead pollution comes from the combustion of leaded gasoline. Tetraethyl lead, added to gasoline to increase the octane number in an amount of about 0.1%, is very volatile and more toxic than lead itself and its inorganic compounds. It easily enters the soil and contaminates food. Therefore, foods grown along freeways contain higher amounts of lead. Depending on the intensity of traffic, this danger zone can extend from 10 to 500 m. Therefore, only forest species or fodder crops should be planted along the roads. However, this is sometimes neglected and fruit trees are often planted along the roads, producing lead-contaminated fruit. Denmark has set an excellent example in the fight against food contamination. They have banned the use of leaded gasoline in cars for several years and natural level lead in basic vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions) decreased by 2-3 times. Let's hope we develop the same negative attitude towards the use of leaded gasoline.

Cadmium

Cadmium is a highly toxic element. Natural cadmium in food products is approximately 5-10 times less than lead. Increased concentrations are observed in cocoa powder (up to 0.5 mg/kg), animal kidneys (up to 1.0 mg/kg) and fish (up to 0.2 mg/kg). The cadmium content increases in canned goods from prefabricated tin containers, since cadmium, like lead, passes into the product from poorly made solder, which also contains a certain amount of cadmium.

How do heavy metals get into foods?

Toxic elements can enter food products from raw materials and during technological processing in concentrations dangerous to humans only if the relevant technological instructions are violated. Thus, they can appear in plant raw materials if the rules for the use of pesticides containing toxic elements such as mercury, lead, arsenic, etc. are violated. Increased quantity toxic elements may appear in the area near industrial enterprises polluting air and water with insufficiently purified industrial waste.

With production technology food products Toxic elements may appear from contact with equipment made of metal not approved by health authorities (a very limited amount of steel and other alloys is allowed for food purposes). But mainly toxic elements such as lead and cadmium can appear in the canning industry when using tin containers using soldered seams in case of violation of soldering technology, when using accidental solders or using low-quality internal coatings.

Sanitary inspection authorities have established strict standards for the content of toxic elements in food raw materials and finished food products. For most products, there are maximum permissible concentrations of toxic elements in staple foods.

Requirements for the content of heavy metals in food

For the production of children's and dietary products For a number of heavy metals, more stringent requirements are imposed. Thus, for grain legume products, the lead content is allowed only 0.3 mg/kg, and cadmium 0.03 mg/kg. The table below does not show the content of maximum permissible concentrations of tin and iron. Tin is controlled only in canned food from prefabricated tin containers, where up to 200 mg/kg is allowed (in children's food - up to 100 mg/kg). Iron is regulated only in drinks such as beer and wine (15 mg/kg), fats and oils (5 mg/kg).

In concentrated plant and animal products (dried, freeze-dried, etc.), the maximum permissible concentration of heavy metals is determined, as a rule, in terms of the original product.

The task of specialists Food Industry- constantly monitor food raw materials and finished products in order to ensure the production of food products that are harmless to health.

How to avoid heavy metals in foods

IN homemade food control is also necessary, which is to prevent pollution canned food lead. It is recommended that opened canned food from prefabricated tin cans be placed in glass or porcelain containers, even for short-term storage, since under the influence of atmospheric oxygen, the corrosion of cans increases sharply and literally after a few days the lead (and tin) content in the product increases many times over. You should also not store pickled, salted and sour vegetables and fruits in galvanized containers to avoid contamination of products with zinc and cadmium (the zinc layer also contains some amount of cadmium).

Do not store or prepare food in decorative porcelain or ceramic dishes(i.e. in dishes intended for decoration, but not for food), since very often the glaze, especially yellow and red, contains lead and cadmium salts, which easily pass into food if such dishes are used for food. To prepare and store food, use only containers specifically designed for food purposes.

The same goes for nice plastic bags and plastic utensils. They can only store dry foods for a short period of time.

Maximum permissible content of heavy metals in food

The table below provides information on the maximum permissible content of heavy metals in some basic foods.

Maximum concentrations of heavy metals in basic food products

Products	Lead	Cadmium	Arsenic	Mercury	Copper	Zinc
Most pulses	0,5	0,1	0,2-0,3	0,02-0,03	10	50
Sugar and candy	1,0	0,1	0,5	0,02-0,03	10-20	50
Milk and most liquid dairy products	0,1	0,03	0,05	0,005	1,0	5
Vegetable oil and products made from it	0,1	0,05	0,1	0,05	1,0	5-10
Vegetables, berries, fruits, fresh and frozen	0,04-0,5	0,03	0,2	0,02	5,0	10,0
Vegetables, berries, fruits and products made from them in prefabricated tin containers	1,0	0,05	0,2	0,02	5,0	10,0
Fresh meat and poultry	0,5	0,05	0,1	0,03	5,0	20
Meat and poultry canned in prefabricated tin containers	1,0	0,1	0,1	0,03	5,0	70
Fresh and frozen fish	1,0	0,2	1,0-5,0	0,3-0,6	10	40
Canned fish in prefabricated tin containers	1,0	0,2	1,0-5,0	0,3-0,7	10	40
Beverages	0,1-0,3	0,01-0,03	0,1-0,2	0,005	1,0-5,0	5,0-10