Mercury vapor poisoning. How to recognize and treat mercury poisoning

Mercury is a heavy metal. Its compounds in the form of salts and oxides are used in production; it is part of some paints and disinfectants. Moreover, the salts of this metal are more toxic than the oxides.

At home, mercury can be encountered when thermometers and energy-saving light bulbs are damaged. Metal vapor poisoning from one broken light bulb is unlikely. If light bulbs are damaged periodically, then chronic poisoning is quite possible. At school, in physics and chemistry lessons, reactions with mercury are carried out, so there are also cases of poisoning when safety precautions are violated when working with chemicals.

Entry routes for mercury

Mercury vapor poisoning can occur through the skin. In this case, intoxication develops slowly.

A more dangerous situation occurs when metal particles get on the mucous membranes or are swallowed. In this case, the liver experiences a toxic shock.

The most severe form of poisoning occurs after inhaling vapors or directly entering the bloodstream, since the liver is practically not involved in their neutralization.

Toxic dose of mercury

Most often, a person comes into contact with mercury when breaking a thermometer. Is it possible to get poisoned when a thermometer breaks?

“The thermometer contains about two grams of mercury. If half of this dose enters the human body, it is fatal.

Much depends on the age, gender, body weight of the person in contact with the dangerous poison. The size of the room in which the mercury was released is also important.

The listed factors influence the severity of poisoning. The probability of mercury poisoning itself from a thermometer, if measures are not taken, is close to 100%, since its average toxic dose is only 0.4 mg.

What to do if the thermometer breaks? This will be discussed below.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Poisoning can occur acutely, for example, when inhaling vapors, subacutely and chronically, when a small amount of mercury enters the body over a long period of time.

An acute course is rare and may occur in industrial accidents where mercury is used, and in other similar cases. More often there is chronic mercury poisoning from a thermometer, the symptoms of which develop gradually.

Common symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning will be:

It is important to understand that in each case the set of symptoms is individual and depends on many factors. Classic manifestations of poisoning are one thing, but cases in practice are completely different.

How to determine mercury poisoning? Symptoms are mostly nonspecific and occur with poisoning by other heavy metals, as well as with inflammatory diseases of various organs, which also suffer from mercury intoxication. Clear evidence is provided by a blood test for the concentration of a toxic substance, which is detected in case of poisoning from 180 mcg/l and above.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning during pregnancy

Mercury poisoning during pregnancy is rare, but does occur.

The symptoms will be the same as in non-pregnant women. Intoxication is dangerous due to the threat of fetal death.

What to do if you have mercury poisoning

What to do if the thermometer breaks

Compliance with safety precautions when working with mercury at work, as well as undergoing regular medical examinations for timely detection of heavy metal intoxication reduces the risk of getting sick. At home, preventive measures include replacing all mercury thermometers with electronic ones and being more careful with energy-saving lamps.

What to do if the thermometer breaks?

Treat this responsibly and without panic.
Get everyone out of the room.
Close the door and open the windows.
Children under 18 years of age, pregnant women and people with serious chronic diseases should not collect mercury.
It is necessary to isolate mercury using rubber gloves in a sealed glass container. To protect yourself from inhaling toxic fumes, wear a cotton-gauze or medical mask. Feet must have shoe covers.
Collect mercury with sheets of paper and using adhesive tape - gluing small balls with the sticky surface of the tape.
Place everything that has had contact with mercury in a plastic bag.
Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations or ask them for the number where to go to clean the room and dispose of the collected metal.

The most favorable outcome is for acute poisoning of mild severity. The greatest damage to organs occurs with prolonged intoxication. In this case, the consequences of mercury poisoning from a thermometer will be the formation of severe chronic diseases of the affected organs, not to mention death. Timely seeking medical help will reduce these consequences to a minimum.

Entry routes for mercury

Mercury vapor poisoning can occur through the skin. In this case, intoxication develops slowly.

A more dangerous situation occurs when metal particles get on the mucous membranes or are swallowed. In this case, the liver experiences a toxic shock.

The most severe form of poisoning occurs after inhaling vapors or directly entering the bloodstream, since the liver is practically not involved in their neutralization.

Toxic dose of mercury

Most often, a person comes into contact with mercury when breaking a thermometer. Is it possible to get poisoned when a thermometer breaks?

“The thermometer contains about two grams of mercury. If half of this dose enters the human body, it is fatal.

Much depends on the age, gender, body weight of the person in contact with the dangerous poison. The size of the room in which the mercury was released is also important.

What to do if the thermometer breaks? This will be discussed below.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Poisoning can occur acutely, for example, when inhaling vapors, subacutely and chronically, when a small amount of mercury enters the body over a long period of time.

Common symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning will be:

Symptoms of mercury poisoning during pregnancy

Mercury poisoning during pregnancy is rare, but does occur.

The symptoms will be the same as in non-pregnant women. Intoxication is dangerous due to the threat of fetal death.

What to do if you have mercury poisoning

What to do if the thermometer breaks

What to do if the thermometer breaks?

Treat this responsibly and without panic.
Get everyone out of the room.
Close the door and open the windows.
Children under 18 years of age, pregnant women and people with serious chronic diseases should not collect mercury.
It is necessary to isolate mercury using rubber gloves in a sealed glass container. To protect yourself from inhaling toxic fumes, wear a cotton-gauze or medical mask. Feet must have shoe covers.
Collect mercury with sheets of paper and using adhesive tape - gluing small balls with the sticky surface of the tape.
Place everything that has had contact with mercury in a plastic bag.
Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations or ask them for the number where to go to clean the room and dispose of the collected metal.

Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures. Also, at room temperature, this metal evaporates, the vapors of which are very toxic to humans. Poisoning occurs only in vapors, since mercury in liquid form is safe for humans. Cases of poisoning usually occur in various industries, the technological process of which is associated with the use of mercury (poisoning occurs due to an accident or non-compliance with safety regulations), or in everyday life (in everyday life, this most often happens when the integrity of medical thermometers with mercury is damaged).

Liquid mercury has a high mass, so it was previously used to treat intussusception (kinking) of the intestine in children. To do this, they gave it to the child to drink; under the influence of the gravity of the mercury, the intestines straightened.

What's happening

Mercury vapor has the first class of toxicity. This means that they are highly toxic to the human body. When they are inhaled, mercury molecules enter the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body. They accumulate in tissues containing significant amounts of lipids, most of all in nervous tissue, endocrine glands, and structures of the immune system. Mercury is an enzymatic toxin. It penetrates into cells, binds to a large number of enzymes containing sulfhydryl groups, and disrupts their catalytic activity. As a result, the metabolism (metabolism) of cells is disrupted with a change in their functional state and death. According to the severity of pathological changes, acute (simultaneous intake of a significant amount of mercury into the body) and chronic (systematic intake of a small amount of mercury over a fairly long period of time) poisoning are distinguished.

Mercury is found in medical thermometers and some lighting lamps (fluorescent lamps). It is also found in compounds such as sublimate and calomel. This compound is found in small quantities in mussels, so it is not recommended to eat them during pregnancy.

How it manifests itself

Acute mercury vapor poisoning is characterized by fairly intense clinical symptoms, which manifest themselves several hours after this compound enters the body. It includes headache, general weakness, increased body temperature, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, as well as the appearance of discomfort when swallowing, nausea with periodic vomiting, the appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth, and blood from the gums. If a significant amount of mercury enters the body, the affected person may lose consciousness, as well as death due to a sharp depression in the functional activity of the nervous system. In case of chronic poisoning, the symptoms of a violation of the functional state of the structures of the nervous system, immunity and skin come to the fore:

The appearance of signs of acute or chronic mercury vapor poisoning is a reason to visit a doctor, even if the affected person cannot remember obvious contact with this compound.

What to do

If signs of acute mercury vapor poisoning appear, you should call an ambulance. Before the arrival of medical specialists, it is recommended to perform several simple first aid measures, which include:

Eliminate further intake of mercury into the body (take the person to fresh air, if it is impossible to open windows and doors in the room).
Provide fresh air flow.
Rinse the stomach (at home the “restaurant method” is used - a person drinks 1 liter of water at room temperature, after which vomiting is caused by irritation of the tongue, the procedure is repeated several times) and give an intestinal sorbent (activated carbon).
If the victim is unconscious, he should be placed on his side to prevent vomit from entering the respiratory system in the event of vomiting.

Further drug therapy is carried out by medical specialists using drugs from various pharmacological groups. If signs of chronic poisoning appear, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, who, based on clinical examination data, will prescribe appropriate treatment.

Prevention of poisoning

It is possible to prevent the entry of mercury vapor into the human body only with very careful handling of objects and devices that may contain this compound (medical thermometer, fluorescent lamps). If the thermometer breaks, the first thing you need to do is open the windows in the room. Then you should try to collect liquid mercury (it collects at the place where the thermometer falls in the form of small liquid balls) using a copper plate or pieces of staniol. It is important to wear gloves and a respirator or a cotton-gauze bandage. The area where the mercury was spilled must be treated with any chlorine-containing disinfectant. After performing these manipulations, it is important to take a shower, rinse your mouth, and then brush your teeth thoroughly.

Mercury balls tend to roll into cracks, therefore, in order to clean them out as efficiently as possible, it is better to contact the appropriate service (sanitary and epidemiological station).

Mercury poisoning is one of the most serious poisonings of the body, which is dangerous due to its consequences. Most often, mercury enters the human body in the form of dust or vapor, through breathing or food. If this substance is ingested in a small amount and only once, it will not cause harm to health - the mercury will be eliminated from the body on its own without additional action. If it enters the bloodstream - through the kidneys along with urine, into the digestive tract - with feces. Such metal, entering the body, is not absorbed into the tissues and leaves unchanged.

If this substance is ingested in small quantities, signs of poisoning may be mild or completely absent (often reminiscent of other diseases, for example, disorders of the nervous system, digestive or respiratory organs). Death from poisoning with salts or mercury vapor can only occur in major accidents at mercury production.

In order for a child to be poisoned, a much smaller amount of vapor is needed - this is due not only to the fact that a small body is not protected from toxins, but to the fact that the baby does not always understand what has a beneficial effect on the body and what does not. The situation is further complicated by the fact that a child can break a thermometer and not tell adults anything about it, and the mercury content in a thermometer is enough to poison a small child. In addition, metal particles are often found in food products. Quite rarely, mercury intoxication in a child can be accurately diagnosed. Often this condition is explained by doctors as ordinary poisoning or pathology of the digestive system.

Etiology

The causes of mercury poisoning are clear - the entry of a certain amount of liquid metal into the body. It is worth figuring out where, in general, mercury can come from in such quantities as to lead to human poisoning. Factors that may cause some mercury to enter the human body:

production conditions (during the production of voltaic batteries, which are made with liquid metal content);
metallurgical industry - when creating various compounds;
aluminum recycling;
chemical industry - as one of the reagents;
agriculture - as a component of pesticides for crop treatment;
dentistry - one filling can contain from several milligrams to several hundred milligrams of this element;
fluorescent lamps - they can contain from one to 70 grams of the substance, which is quite enough to poison a child;
a medical thermometer containing less than two grams of the substance;
food products, in particular seafood, can contain large amounts of mercury salts. Typically, no processing of such products will reduce the concentration of this metal.

It follows from this that in order to be poisoned by mercury vapors or salts, you will need to try hard to find such a large amount of liquid metal. In cases where a medical thermometer or a mercury-containing lamp breaks, you must follow simple rules for collecting mercury particles. To do this, you need to do the following - moisten several sheets of paper or newspaper in a solution of water and potassium permanganate, which will help collect even the smallest grains of this substance. But under no circumstances use a vacuum cleaner, as this will only spread grains of mercury throughout the room; this can lead to chronic poisoning with this substance.

Varieties

There are several forms in which mercury poisoning can occur:

acute form - characterized by a sharp manifestation, including fever, severe headaches, frequent vomiting and diarrhea. Toxic shock can also develop, which, in turn, often causes a person’s death;
chronic mercury poisoning - this type is characterized by a gradual increase in the intensity of symptoms. The violations to which this leads are expressed not only in external manifestations, but also in internal disorders.

Symptoms

Depending on which of the above-described forms of poisoning occurs, the symptoms expressed may vary. The acute form of intoxication has the following symptoms:

general weakness of the body;
attacks of severe headache;
complete loss of appetite;
discomfort and pain when a person tries to swallow food or liquid;
the appearance of an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth;
increased salivation;
bleeding and swelling of the gums;
constant nausea with frequent bouts of vomiting;
impurities of blood and mucus in vomit and feces;
unbearable cramps in the abdomen and chest;
severe cough with sputum;
shortness of breath and difficulty breathing;
a sharp increase in body temperature;
detection, during diagnosis, of particles of this substance in the urine;
severe chills of the patient.

These symptoms are typical for both adults and children, but it is worth considering that in a child’s body these processes occur much faster than in an adult.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning in chronic form:

rapid fatigue of the victim;
constant drowsiness;
severe dizziness;
severe fragility and hair loss;
emotional disorders. The person loses self-confidence, is easily irritable, depressed and shy;
decreased concentration and memory;
development ;
sleep disorders;
with strong excitement, trembling appears in the fingers of the upper and lower extremities;
increased urge to pass urine and feces;
loss of smell;
lowering blood pressure;
increase in the size of the thyroid gland;
heartbeat disturbance.

In advanced cases or if first aid is not provided in a timely manner and doctors are not called, pneumonia will begin to develop, which can become a factor in the onset of coma and death of the victim.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning from a thermometer are similar to those of the chronic form of poisoning. It is worth noting that only under certain circumstances can intoxication with mercury from a thermometer occur. Such circumstances are:

age and weight of the victim. The amount of mercury contained in a medical thermometer is not dangerous for an adult, but it can lead to poisoning of a small child;
temperature of the room where the mercury leak occurred - if the room is very hot, the metal will quickly evaporate and take on a gaseous form, in which it can easily enter the body;
room dimensions.

Complications

Consequences from mercury poisoning can occur only in the chronic form of the pathology. Young children and pregnant women most often suffer from complications. Thus, the consequences of mercury poisoning will be expressed in:

disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system and changes in the emotional state of a person;
coordination and fine motor skills disorders;
dysfunction of the kidneys and digestive system.

If you do not seek help in a timely manner when the first symptoms of poisoning are detected, a person may die.

The sooner the victim is given first aid measures for mercury poisoning and the sooner he is transferred to the clinic, the greater the chances of recovery.

Diagnostics

When making a diagnosis, the first step is to distinguish this disorder from other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and blood circulation disorders in the brain. In addition, diagnostic measures include:

and to identify mercury particles in them. But it is worth remembering that within two weeks from the moment the metal first enters the body, these tests will have normal values. Therefore, if this is done before this time, there is a possibility of making an incorrect diagnosis;
examination of the scalp - this method is carried out in chronic cases to determine the approximate time of mercury entering the body. The essence of such an examination is that in adults and children, hair grows by about one and a half centimeters every two months. With mercury poisoning, hair growth slows down;
introduction into the body of a special solution that will show the presence of metal.

Treatment

In case of poisoning with a large amount of mercury, it is necessary to call an ambulance, and before the doctors arrive, provide first aid for mercury poisoning. To do this you need to do the following:

remove or remove the victim to fresh air;
try to flush your stomach. If this cannot be done, it is necessary to give the victim activated charcoal, in the ratio of one tablet per ten kilograms of body weight, or water with the addition of egg whites;
give as much ordinary purified water, not strong tea or milk, to drink as possible;
it is necessary to lay the victim down and turn his head to the side so that the person does not choke on vomit;
if poisoning occurs at home, it is necessary to give medications containing calcium or glucose. In addition, you need to collect small balls of mercury as quickly as possible;
if possible, take a contrast shower and change clothes.

Upon arrival of doctors, the patient is taken to a medical facility, where he is prescribed injections of a dimercapto compound and treated for concomitant pathologies of internal organs.

In most cases, the prognosis for poisoning is favorable - the mortality rate is extremely low.

Prevention

To avoid mercury poisoning, you must:

store thermometers with mercury in a protective bottle and away from children;
if the thermometer breaks, get rid of the grains of the substance as soon as possible;
reliably install mercury lamps;
regularly undergo medical examination for those people who work in close proximity to high concentrations of this metal.

Mercury poisoning poses a particular danger to humans. Intoxication occurs for various reasons; in children it occurs in a more complex form. What to do in case of an overdose, how to help the affected person?

How does poisoning occur?

Mercury is a heavy metal that remains in a liquid state at room temperature. The substance itself does not cause any particular toxic effects on the body. Vapors and organic compounds of the substance are toxic.

Mercury is widely used in industry. In everyday life it is present in thermometers, fluorescent lamps, and may be included in some medicines.

Inhalation of minimal doses of a toxic substance can lead to the development of negative changes in the human body. The resulting toxic compounds are distributed throughout the body through the bloodstream.

Mercury salts can cause harm by penetrating the epidermis or stomach. There is an accumulation of toxic compounds in various internal organs.

Organic compounds easily penetrate through the skin, react with hemoglobin and cause oxygen starvation of tissues and poisoning. Mercury intoxication occurs for several reasons.

Causes:

Broken thermometer and incompletely collected mercury,
Violation of technology for working with substances in production, emergency situations,
Mercury is present in some medicines; if taken incorrectly, an overdose may occur.
Organic compounds containing mercury are present in seafood. An excess of them leads to disruption of the functionality of the human body.

Thus, poisoning is possible for several different reasons, but in most cases the cause is a lack of caution when working.

It is quite difficult for an adult to be poisoned by mercury from a thermometer. In children, mercury balls can provoke the development of unpleasant symptoms. What to do if the thermometer breaks?

What to do:

It is recommended to remove people from the premises; it is recommended to close the doors and open the windows.
The mercury balls must be carefully collected using paper and adhesive tape.
Items with which there was contact with a harmful substance are packaged in polyethylene.
Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

You cannot fail to report an incident and throw mercury into public garbage chutes and bins.

Signs and symptoms of intoxication

What symptoms are characteristic of intoxication? How does mercury poisoning manifest? How to determine an overdose? There are acute and chronic forms of poisoning. They manifest themselves with different signs.

Symptoms of acute poisoning:

Weakness,
Intense pain in the head
Lack of appetite,
Unpleasant sensations when swallowing,
Increased salivation
Blood inclusions in stool and vomit,
Swelling gums, bleeding,
Severe spasmodic manifestations in the chest and abdomen,
Respiratory disorder
A sharp increase in body temperature,
Feeling chilly.

In children, such processes during poisoning occur faster and more intensely than in adults. Chronic poisoning with mercury and vapors is characterized by a gradual disruption of many body functions. This manifests itself with certain symptoms.

Signs:

Hair loss,
Chronic fatigue,
Constant headaches, migraines,
Bad mood, depression,
Impaired concentration, memory,
Sleep problems
Low pressure,
Tremor of the limbs,
Enlargement of the thyroid gland,
Impaired sense of smell
Frequent urination and defecation,
Malfunctions of the cardiac system.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning with a broken thermometer are similar to those described above. In the absence of help and timely treatment, pneumonia may develop. The disease can lead to coma and death.

First aid and treatment

When the first signs of poisoning appear, it is necessary to call doctors and provide first aid to the victim.

Actions:

If mercury enters the body through the oral cavity, an urgent need for large amounts of water.
It is not recommended to take it in case of poisoning; in such a situation, medications will not help.
If the substance gets on the skin, wash the damaged area with cool water.
Mercury vapor poisoning requires the victim to be taken to fresh air. It is recommended to open the windows, unbutton his clothes,
To quickly remove mercury compounds, it is permissible to give the victim milk or raw egg whites to drink.

If possible, an antidote is introduced - unithiol. Further treatment after first aid is provided in the toxicology department.

Inpatient treatment for mercury poisoning

When a poisoning victim is admitted to a medical facility, a thorough diagnosis is carried out. Afterwards, a suitable treatment is selected, including a number of medical procedures aimed at restoring the functionality of the body and alleviating the person’s condition.

Procedures:

If necessary, repeat gastric lavage using a tube,
Administration of the antidote
Using droppers with medicinal solutions,
Correction of water-salt balance,
Hemodialysis,
Blockade of the spinal cord with intense painful sensations,
Administration of medications that normalize the functioning of organs and systems,
Use of diuretics
If necessary, resuscitation is carried out,
Probiotics are prescribed to restore intestinal microflora.

Poisoning, overdose, nausea, vomiting or heartburn?
There is an exit - Monastic tea - stomachic This tea helped me a lot, so I recommend it to you.

In the future, dietary nutrition, vitamin therapy, and sanatorium treatment are selected.

Prevention and consequences

Mercury intoxication can lead to the development of serious complications and consequences.

What happens:

Nervous system disorders
Loss of coordination
Exacerbation of chronic diseases,
Diseases of the digestive system,
Pathological processes in the kidneys,
Death.

If you follow preventive measures, poisoning can be avoided.

Measures:

When working with mercury, observe safety precautions,
Store the thermometer in a special case, out of the reach of children.
People working with this metal should undergo regular medical examinations.

Mercury poisoning can be fatal if left untreated and untreated.

Mercury vapor poisoning. How to recognize and treat mercury poisoning

Entry routes for mercury

Toxic dose of mercury

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Symptoms of mercury poisoning during pregnancy

What to do if you have mercury poisoning

What to do if the thermometer breaks

Entry routes for mercury

Toxic dose of mercury

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Symptoms of mercury poisoning during pregnancy

What to do if you have mercury poisoning

What to do if the thermometer breaks

What's happening

How it manifests itself

What to do

Prevention of poisoning

Etiology

Varieties

Symptoms

Complications

Diagnostics

Treatment

Prevention

How does poisoning occur?

Causes:

Signs and symptoms of intoxication

Signs:

First aid and treatment

Inpatient treatment for mercury poisoning

Prevention and consequences

Video - mercury poisoning (Elena Malysheva)