Is it possible to be poisoned by mercury from a thermometer? Mercury intoxication: acute, chronic, occupational.

Update: October 2018

Mercury poisoning is one of the serious intoxications of the human body, which leaves a number of negative health consequences. Adults and children fear this condition, especially when they panic when household mercury thermometers break. In this article we will look at the symptoms of chronic and acute mercury poisoning and under what circumstances it can actually occur.

Characteristics of mercury

Mercury is a substance of the first class of danger. It is a transition metal, which is a silvery-white liquid with a heavy mass, the vapors of which are very toxic (at the usual temperature of living quarters).

Metallic mercury as such, it does not have a toxic effect on the body. But vapors and soluble (especially organic) mercury compounds are very toxic - they are classified as cumulative poisons.

Even in small quantities, mercury can cause significant health problems. Has a toxic effect on the digestive, nervous and immune systems, kidneys, liver, lungs, skin and eyes. Therefore, in case of mercury poisoning, symptoms are associated with dysfunction of these systems and organs of the body.

Despite this, mercury is widely used in manufacturing and industry. The most famous mercury object is a thermometer with a “silver” center, which many people use to measure body temperature.

Poisonings that occur as a result of breaking household mercury thermometers are extremely rare and can occur in families that completely neglect safety rules or often break thermometers without further demercurization. If mercury poisoning occurs from a thermometer, the symptoms will most likely be chronic.

Acute mercury poisoning is possible when a large number of fluorescent lamps are accidentally broken (see).

Where can a person encounter mercury in everyday life?

Despite this danger of the metal, it is not so easy to come across mercury, especially in such quantities as to cause serious pathologies.

Thus, in order to be poisoned by mercury, you still need to look for it! This is what some inquisitive people do, bringing home or into the garage unknown devices or devices that can be a source of dangerous mercury vapor.

Sometimes, extremely rarely, chronic mercury poisoning is found in people who once upon a time bought a secondary home, in the cracks of the floors and walls of which there was mercury that inexplicably got there.

In all this, you should be especially vigilant - if a “domestic disaster” has occurred - a thermometer or mercury lamp has broken (see detailed instructions -), you should perform a number of simple steps that will protect you, your loved ones and pets from mercury poisoning.

Specific effect of mercury vapor on the human body

Inhalation of air with mercury vapor at a concentration of up to 0.25 mg/m³ leads to the accumulation of the metal in the lung tissue. At higher levels, mercury is able to be absorbed through intact skin. Depending on the duration of mercury ingestion into the body and the amount of metal ingested, acute and chronic poisoning occurs. Micromercurialism is included in a separate category.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Acute poisoning

The first manifestations are observed a couple of hours after direct poisoning:

general weakness;
headache;
lack of appetite;
pain when trying to swallow something;
metallic taste;
salivation;
bleeding and swelling of the gums;
nausea;
vomit.

A little later there are:

very severe abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea,
cough and shortness of breath - inflammation of the lung tissue, catarrh of the respiratory tract, chest pain, severe chills are added
characteristic rise in body temperature to 38-40 °C.
When examined, mercury is detected in the urine.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning are the same in adults and children. Only in a child the symptoms develop faster, the clinical picture is clearer, and immediate help is required!

Chronic poisoning

Mercurialism is a general poisoning due to chronic exposure to mercury vapors and compounds, much exceeding the standards, for 2-5 months or years. Manifestations depend on the state of the body and nervous system:

increased fatigue;
causeless drowsiness;
general weakness;
dizziness;
migraine;
emotional disorders: self-doubt, shyness, depression, irritability.

There is a loss of self-control and weakening of memory, decreased attention. Gradually, a bright characteristic symptom develops - “mercury tremor” of the fingers and toes, lips, eyelids, which occurs with excitement. There is a urge to defecate and urinate, a decrease in the sense of smell, tactile sensitivity, taste, and increased sweating. The thyroid gland enlarges significantly, heart rhythm disturbances and a drop in blood pressure are noted.

Micromercurialism- chronic poisoning with the symptoms described above, which occurs with constant exposure to small amounts of mercury for many (5-10 or more) years.

Consequences of mercury poisoning

In the absence of timely assistance, acute mercury poisoning can result in death.
People with chronic mercury intoxication cannot lead their usual lifestyle and become psychologically disabled.
Mercury poses a particular danger to pregnant women, since there is a high risk of developing intrauterine pathology.

Is it possible to detect excess mercury vapor concentrations indoors?

Of course, after any situation that carries the risk of exceeding the maximum permissible concentration of mercury in the air, an accredited laboratory should be invited and measurements should be taken (the standard is no more than 0.0003 mg/m³).

There are also household tests that help to roughly assess the concentration of mercury in indoor air (paper impregnated with selenium sulfide or copper monodide), which allows you to find out after 8-10 hours of observation whether the MPC is exceeded. They can be purchased in the post-Soviet countries at an estimated cost of about 150 rubles.

Treatment

Acute poisoning is treated only in hospitals, comprehensively and differentiated, taking into account the lesions. Chronic mercury poisoning can be treated in a hospital, requiring sanatorium treatment and transfer to another job. Specific drugs are used for treatment: Unithiol, Methionine, Taurine, Dimercaptosuccinic acid, etc.

Prevention

If a thermometer or fluorescent lamp accidentally breaks, carry out the entire range of necessary measures to eliminate the accident.
People employed in professions that involve contact with mercury are advised to rinse their mouths with a solution of potassium permanganate or potassium chlorate during their shift and after work.
In case of poisoning with mercury salts, the adsorbent is raw egg white - several whites should be taken orally.

Possible ways of poisoning the body of children and adults with Hydrargyrum are the following:

contact with mucous membranes of even small particles of mercury;
their ingestion;
through the skin;
inhalation of vapors or their entry into the blood directly.

In everyday life, you can encounter mercury if the integrity of the following is violated:

medical thermometers;
energy-saving and fluorescent lamps;
sphygmomanometers (mercury tonometers);
mercury-containing electric valves.

In addition, this metal contains:

in cinnabar (paint);
in some types of filling materials in dentistry.

Older schoolchildren can get Hydrargyrum poisoning in physics lessons if experiments with mercury are carried out in violation of safety precautions. This substance can even end up in food products if production controls are insufficient.

Symptoms

A specific sign of intoxication of the body with this heavy metal is the coloring of the gums in a bright red color. Some time later they become covered with a dark coating. When Hydrargyrum is poisoned, the nervous system is the first to be attacked. This manifests itself in the appearance of:

irritability,
increased excitability,
memory loss,
severe headaches,
sleep disorders,
seizures,
loss of orientation,
double vision,
depression,
constant feeling of tiredness and desire to sleep.

temperature increase;
decreased blood pressure;
increased sweating;
sharp pain in the abdominal cavity;
tremor of the limbs and whole body;
inflammation of the oral mucosa (as with stomatitis).

The next stage is the appearance of signs of damage to the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys:

metallic taste in the mouth;
increased salivation;
attacks of nausea ending in vomiting;
diarrhea;
violation of deurination (urination).

If, in the presence of the entire complex of the above symptoms, urgent medical care is not provided, death is almost inevitable.

Diagnosis of mercury poisoning in a child

Since many symptoms are nonspecific, present in many other diseases, the first task in diagnosis is to differentiate Hydrargyrum poisoning from acute manifestations:

gastrointestinal pathologies,
cerebrovascular accidents,
renal diseases of non-toxic origin.

For this purpose, the following methods are used:

photoelectrocolorimetry (determining the concentration of free hemoglobin in the blood);
colorimetry (calculation of the amount of metal in urine and blood).

If mercury poisoning occurs, the levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin will be reduced, and the ESR will be increased. Research will show its concentration:

blood using one of the test programs used in diagnostics,
urine and hair using a method with or without provocation.

The most revealing method is the provocation method. Its essence is as follows: a neutralizing substance (detoxifier) is introduced into the body. After this, a urine analysis is performed. Using this method, two points are clarified:

the presence or absence of mercury in the body,
the ability of this detoxification drug to remove it from him.

Complications

Hydrargyrum belongs to the category of the most toxic substances. Its entry into the body can have disastrous consequences. This is especially true for children. The most severe complications of intoxication with this heavy metal include:

disturbances in the functioning of the urinary organs (up to renal failure);
problems with the digestive system;
lesions of the central nervous system (impaired coordination, motor function, psycho-emotional disorders);
dysfunction of the respiratory system (non-infectious bronchitis, inflammation and pulmonary edema).

If, in case of poisoning with this substance, timely medical assistance is not provided and as a result, malfunctions in the functioning of vital organs occur, even death is possible.

Treatment

What can you do

The first thing you should do if a child is poisoned by mercury is take him out into fresh air or at least take him away from the source to a safe distance. After that:

call an ambulance;
drink plenty of water and induce vomiting;
give activated carbon (up to 7 tablets) or at least water again;
rinse your mouth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
bathe in the shower and change clothes;
put to bed until the ambulance arrives.

What does a doctor do

This disease is treated by an infectious disease doctor or epidemiologist. The goal of treatment is to remove mercury from the body through urine as quickly as possible. To do this, drug detoxification is carried out using:

dimercapto compounds (intramuscular);
sodium thiosulfate solution (intravenously);
mesodimercaptosuccinic acid succimer.

Prevention

To prevent the possibility of poisoning children at home, the following preventive measures should be taken:

handle mercury-containing devices and objects carefully,
store the thermometer in its packaging out of the reach of children,
Do not throw devices containing mercury into the trash that have become unusable.

If, however, mercury is spilled, you must:

remove everyone from the room and ventilate it well;
carefully collect all the balls using sheets of paper or a pipette;
wash the place where they were located with soap and soda solution;
Pour baking soda or table salt into all existing cracks, collect it after a while and throw it away.

You will also learn how untimely treatment of mercury poisoning in children can be dangerous, and why it is so important to avoid the consequences. All about how to prevent mercury poisoning in children and prevent complications.

And caring parents will find on the service pages complete information about the symptoms of mercury poisoning in children. How do the signs of the disease in children aged 1, 2 and 3 differ from the manifestations of the disease in children aged 4, 5, 6 and 7? What is the best way to treat mercury poisoning in children?

Take care of the health of your loved ones and stay in good shape!

Mercury is one of the most dangerous substances to human health. But, nevertheless, this poison is probably present in every home. Energy-saving lamps, mercury thermometers, mercury-based paints are common household items. The amount of liquid metal in thermometers and lamps is small, but it is quite enough to slowly poison the body if the fragile glass capsule is damaged.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

The metal itself, spilled in a visible place, is not so dangerous. If the area of the mercury spill is small, it can be quickly collected and placed in a closed container. In this case, mercury poisoning is minimized. But even small balls of mercury, “hidden” in an inconspicuous place (parquet cracks, carpet pile), evaporating, can confidently poison those who breathe dangerous air for a long time. Mercury vapor also has a toxic effect on chemical industry workers in workshops where safety regulations are not followed. Symptoms of acute mercury vapor poisoning include:

intense headache;
metallic taste in the mouth;
indigestion;
nausea and vomiting;
bleeding gums;
pain when swallowing;
an increase in the amount of saliva produced;
frequent cough;
labored breathing;
increased body temperature;
chills;
weakness and drowsiness;
memory impairment;
tremor.

Symptoms can appear either simultaneously in a complex or gradually one by one. They intensify as the concentration of mercury in the body increases.

Mercury poisoning - treatment

Treatment of poisoning comes down to the rapid and complete removal of mercury and its salts from the body, as well as alleviating the patient’s general condition by relieving symptoms and eliminating the consequences of poisoning. You should not do this on your own without the help of doctors. Even if the necessary medications are available, treatment must be carried out in a hospital setting. Attempts to cope with poisoning at home take up precious time, prolong the effect of the poison on all human organs and systems, thereby worsening the patient’s condition. For treatment in the hospital, modern drugs are used that eliminate mercury from the body:

unithiol;
taurine;
succimer;
methionine;
allithiamin.

Doctors select medications according to the degree of poisoning, the body’s tolerance of certain substances, and the severity of symptoms. If mercury or its salts have been ingested, the first aid for mercury poisoning is to cleanse the body of the remnants of the ingested substance. In this case, you need to urgently induce vomiting and wait for emergency medical help to arrive.

Consequences of mercury poisoning

The longer the exposure to mercury vapors or salts on the body, and the more unstable the person’s health condition, the more serious the consequences of mercury poisoning. Children and pregnant women are at risk. Long-term inhalation of even small doses of mercury vapor initiates irreversible processes in the liver, kidneys, digestive organs and central nervous system. Mercury in the body is not excreted from it itself. Gradually accumulating, it can lead to insufficient function of vital organs and, as a result, to death.

Prevention of mercury poisoning

The most important thing in preventing poisoning from mercury and its vapor is reducing the likelihood of contact with a dangerous substance:

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.