Fatal mercury poisoning. A broken thermometer is a source of poisoning! Symptoms of acute poisoning

One of the most dangerous and serious intoxications of the human body is considered to be mercury poisoning, which huge list harmful, negative consequences for health and life. Similar state causes severe panic in children and adults, especially when an emergency occurs, namely, it breaks.

Mercury poisoning is a direct threat to human life, negative consequences health. It is very important to provide urgent medical assistance and treat the victim. In such cases, it is necessary to act in an organized and fast manner, it is necessary to know what and how to do in order to avoid tragic consequences and death.

Mercury and its characteristics

Mercury is a dangerous, poisonous transition metal. Metallic mercury has no effect on humans, but its vapors and organic compounds- are highly toxic and poisonous. Mercury is considered a cumulative poison.

A small amount of such a substance can cause serious problems and health implications. Toxins render negative impact on the eyes, skin, digestive and nervous system, liver, lungs, kidneys. This poisoning is accompanied unpleasant symptoms that are associated with the defeat of the above organs. If the first signs of poisoning are detected, urgent medical treatment is required.

The best-known mercury instrument is the human body temperature thermometer, which can cause ill health and death if broken.

Symptoms

Mercury vapor poisoning is quite difficult and acute. The first symptoms of mercury poisoning may include:

• weakness, lethargy of the body;
• severe nausea;
• frequent and profuse vomiting;
• gums suffer, namely, they begin to swell, bleed heavily, become sensitive;
• constant dizziness;
• there is a metallic taste in oral cavity;
• there is increased salivation;
• strong, painful, paroxysmal headache;
• impaired coordination of movements;
• pain in the throat;
• observed complete absence appetite.

A little later, the signs of mercury poisoning appear in the following ways:

• body temperature rises to 40 degrees;
• mercury can be detected in the urine (during examination);
• severe, cramping pain in the abdomen that does not stop;
• frequent diarrhea with blood;
• fever;
• impaired breathing, dry cough, shortness of breath develops;
• severe chills;
• pain in the chest.

Mercury vapor is highly toxic and dangerous, causing the symptoms and effects described above. The symptoms are similar in both adults and children. The difference is that the child clinical manifestations and the effects develop much faster and stronger. In such cases, it is required emergency treatment and medical care, on which future life person. You must do everything quickly, clearly and deliberately, and most importantly, do not panic.

chronic poisoning

Chronic manifests itself a little differently, and also has a special name - mercurialism. A similar phenomenon can develop from prolonged exposure to mercury vapor, namely about two to five months or several years. Requires timely medical treatment And constant surveillance specialists. It is necessary to do certain manipulations to prevent the disease.

Chronic mercury poisoning manifests itself in the following ways:

• severe fatigue;
• increased drowsiness;
• frequent migraine attacks;
• dizziness, possible fainting;
• apathy, muscle weakness;
• failures and weakening of memory;
• development of mercury tremor;
• increased sweating;
• charm worsens;
• low pressure;
• enlargement of the thyroid gland;
• development emotional disorders: fear, indifference, shyness, depression, irritability.

There is also such a phenomenon as micromercurialism - this is chronic poisoning, which has the above signs of manifestation, arising from the constant exposure of mercury and its vapors to the human body, for at least five to ten years.

Mercury poisoning has the following serious consequences for life and health:

• If missing timely treatment and medical care, the disease ends in death.
• If prevails chronic poisoning – normal life ends, as the person becomes psychologically disabled.
• a serious threat, similar affliction, carries to a pregnant woman/girl. Exists high risk formation of intrauterine pathology.

Emergency care and prevention

When signs and symptoms are detected, you must do whatever it takes to get the victim back to health. Next, we will analyze how to remove mercury from the body. Your actions should be clear and consistent:

1. call the clinic, call the doctor;
2. take the victim out into the air, ensure a full flow of oxygen (after all, they are poisoned by mercury vapor);
3. it is necessary to rinse the nose, mouth, eyes, open skin using a weak solution;
4. in the absence of signs of life - you need to do indirect massage heart, artificial respiration;
5. lavage the stomach with a probe using saline or manganese solution to remove mercury;
6. induce vomiting;
7. it is necessary to take sorbents - smecta, polysorb, activated carbon, enterosgel, enterosorbent;
8. the use of a special antidote - Unitiol (dropper, intravenously);
9. the introduction of diuretic solutions;
10. symptomatic treatment is carried out.

That is why you must know how to remove mercury from the body. Timely help help to avoid tragic consequences and death. Acute poisoning with mercury vapor will require urgent hospitalization. play an important role in the recovery process medical preparations. The following are considered the most effective: Taurine, Unithiol, Methionine, saline solutions.

In order to preventive measures personal hygiene, cleanliness in the house is necessary. It is necessary to rinse the oral cavity with a special solution prepared on the basis of potassium permanganate. A person who has suffered such a disease should carefully monitor their own health.

The thermometer is in every house and apartment. It can be called an essential item, which is indispensable for any ailments. And since most of this device contains mercury, and the body is made of glass, there is high probability break it inadvertently. And here it is important to know how long mercury evaporates, what is its danger and how to eliminate the consequences.

Properties of mercury

Mercury is a metal that is listed as element 80 in the periodic table. Being a cumulative poison, it belongs to the I hazard class. It is the only metal that does not solidify at room temperature, remaining in liquid form. The release of toxic substances begins when the temperature rises to +18 ˚С, and since mercury evaporates for a long time, this makes it especially dangerous.

A typical thermometer contains 1.5 to 2 g liquid metal- this amount is very large, and if it evaporates completely in a closed living space, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich does not exceed 20 m 2, the concentration of toxic vapors will exceed allowable rate, which is 0.0003 mg per 1 m 3.

Mercury evaporation rate

In one hour, 0.002 mg of mercury evaporates per square meter. Thus, it is easy to calculate the rate of its evaporation in a living room at room temperature by multiplying this figure by the total area (90 cm 2) of scattered balls: 0.002 x 90/10000 = 0.000018 mg / hour.

But at the same time, certain factors will always influence the speed of this process: temperature fluctuations, the quality of air circulation, the surface area of ​​scattered particles and the total amount of toxic substance. After all, it is not always possible to collect all the mercury. Some of it can roll under the baseboards, into cracks and small chips in the floors.

One small ball of mercury from a broken thermometer evaporates for a long time - at least 3 years. If the house has warm floors and rare ventilation, then this period will noticeably decrease, and, conversely, increase with constant ventilation.

You can also estimate how long it takes 2 grams of mercury to evaporate in a well-ventilated home. Having made simple calculations, we get a period of 30 years. But remember that everything is conditional.

If we talk about how long mercury evaporates on the street, then here this period will also depend on the conditions environment. It is known that under the influence of direct sun rays and air temperature from +35 ˚С to +40 ˚С, the evaporation rate increases by 15-17 times. In the cold season, it, accordingly, decreases.

And do not forget that over time, the intensity of mercury evaporation decreases - after a couple of weeks, approximately two times, and so on.

How dangerous is mercury?

So, we learned how long mercury evaporates in the room and at what speed this process takes place, from which it follows that 0.18 mg of toxic vapor is released in one hour. Comparing this indicator with the maximum permissible concentration (0.0003 mg / m 3), we see a rather strong excess. But that doesn't say anything yet. The fact is that the maximum allowable concentration is calculated taking into account the initial criteria - the threshold concentration for a long time - from six months to a year, and plus a guarantee amendment is applied to this, which further reduces this value by several times.

There is another value, which is defined as a weekly dose of mercury for a person. It is 5 mg per 1 kg of weight. Thus, it is easy to calculate the maximum allowable dose for each family member. And taking into account the volume of air consumed by a person (25 m 3 per day), you can calculate the maximum allowable dose. For this given value multiply by the allowable level of mercury vapor (0.0003). We get 0.0075 mg per day. We calculate the weekly dose by multiplying the result by 7.

And in order to understand how dangerous mercury is from a broken thermometer, you should determine the volume of air in the room that absorbs evaporation. You can make calculations by multiplying the length of the room by the width and height of the ceilings. In general, you should immediately find out the volume of air in the entire apartment. This is due to the fact that the vapors of this substance are volatile, and since the mercury in the room evaporates for a long time, they will certainly spread throughout all the rooms. So, with a total area of ​​​​60 m 2 and a ceiling height of 2.7 m, we get a volume of 160 m 3. We recall that the air is not static; with normal ventilation, 80% of the obtained indicator is replaced in one hour. Thus, the circulation automatically increases the volume of air that consumes mercury vapor, up to 300 m 3 .

The mercury concentration can now be calculated. For this, the amount of evaporation (0.18) is divided by the volume (300). The result is 0.006 mg per 1 m 3. Compare with acceptable level(0.0003) and understand that not everything is as bad as it might seem at first glance. Before us is a twofold excess of the dose, which is not critical. However, it should not go unnoticed either.

Thus, knowing in what quantity and how long mercury evaporates and disappears, one can easily determine its potential harm to a particular room and people living in it.

Symptoms of poisoning

Mercury from one broken thermometer irreversible changes in the work of organs, paralysis and death will not cause. But still, the body is able to respond to harmful fumes with general weakness, decreased appetite, headaches, nausea, a metallic taste in the mouth and vomiting. And if similar symptoms are observed, then the victim needs urgent medical attention. In addition, since mercury from a thermometer evaporates for a long time, it will continue its effect on the body of a weakened person. And this, in turn, will aggravate the signs of poisoning, which will lead to bleeding gums, abdominal cramps, sharp rise body temperature and liquid stool with blood and mucus. This condition requires urgent hospitalization.

Information about how long mercury takes to evaporate and why it is dangerous is especially important for parents and women during pregnancy. In the main risk group are children who, with short-term inhalation, may develop kidney problems. Pregnant women should also beware - there is a risk of intrauterine damage to the fetus.

How to collect mercury?

Understanding how long mercury takes to evaporate and what consequences this has, everyone should be able to collect it. First you need to lower the air temperature in the room by turning off all the heaters. If it is cold outside, you can open a window, but only one, so that the draft does not break the scattered balls into smaller particles. In summer it is desirable to turn on the air conditioner. These measures will stop the process of evaporation of poisonous metal.

Directly for the cleaning itself, you will need a thin copper wire, metal filings or powder, a sheet of sandpaper, a sheet of plain paper and a hermetically sealed jar.

Removing mercury with copper wire

Since mercury evaporates for a long time, and at high temperature air is also intense, then before you start cleaning, it is advisable to protect Airways gauze bandage.

Then we take the wire and wind it in such a way that we get a bundle about 1.5 cm wide and 15 cm long. So that it does not fall apart during the cleaning process, we tie it in the middle with a thread or a small piece of the wire itself. We cut off the ends on both sides so that they look like brushes. Sandpaper remove all the varnish and bend the beam in half. As a result, both ends should be on the same side.

Around the loop we make several turns of adhesive tape. So it will be much more convenient for you to hold the resulting brush in your hand. Then, with your fingers, slightly open the cleaned area and bring it to the mercury balls. Copper will begin to amalgamate metal particles, and soon they will all be on its tips. Upon completion of the procedure, it is necessary to put everything in a jar (along with the wire) and tightly close the lid.

How to use metal filings for cleaning?

To do this, they should be scattered on the infected area and carefully rubbed into the surface with a dry cloth. As a result, all the crumbled particles of mercury will be on it. We put them in a jar along with sawdust and close it hermetically.

This method of cleaning mercury is quite simple, but it is only suitable for smooth surfaces, such as linoleum, plastic, marble, etc. For surfaces with cracks and grooves, a different method should be chosen.

Mercury on pile carpet

It is important to carry out a thorough cleaning here, since mercury from a broken thermometer evaporates for a long time. If not all of it is collected, toxic substances will continue to be released, gradually accumulating in the human body. At the same time, the symptoms of poisoning are invisible at first, the consequences can be felt after a few weeks. And this, in turn, makes it very difficult to diagnose.

It is most difficult to collect all mercury from soft coatings, especially if they have a long pile. But you need to try, otherwise the carpet will simply have to be thrown away.

We pour metal filings in the place where the thermometer crashed, and turn the carpet to this area. We wrap the area with mercury with polyethylene, carefully beat it out and leave it to be ventilated. We send the dropped balls of mercury together with the film to the jar and close it well.

We clean the carpet without lint

It is much easier to remove mercury from such a coating than in the previous version. It is convenient to use a metal brush here, but you can also use a small syringe or syringe. Using the selected tool, we collect all the droplets of the substance and pack everything hermetically.

What can not be done with mercury?

Sweeping mercury with a broom, especially from a carpet, is strictly prohibited. So you will only break the particles of the substance, expanding the volume of evaporation. It is also impossible to vacuum the infected area, otherwise a warm engine will increase the evaporation rate, and the vacuum cleaner itself will subsequently have to be thrown away.

If balls of mercury got on things, then they should be destroyed. Machine wash is prohibited, as it will not save clothes - they will become dangerous in the future.

It is not allowed to flush the collected substance into the sink or toilet, as it is heavy and will most likely remain in the knee of the water supply. How long does mercury evaporate under such conditions? Long and intense. Thus, you will be constantly exposed to poisonous fumes.

Even if a jar with particles of poisonous metal has been carefully sealed, it should not be thrown into a garbage container or garbage chute. It will break sooner or later and other people will be exposed to danger.

Where is mercury recycled?

In general, if the mercury is on a flat, smooth surface or on a lint-free coating, then it will not be difficult to collect it. In addition to the above methods, you can use a sheet of plain paper. But what to do next with this jar if you can’t throw it away? In this matter, special organizations can help, such as:

• sanitary and epidemiological service;
• management of the Ministry of Emergency Situations;
• mercury recycling service.

You need to call one of them and take the jar of collected mercury to the specified address. Just be sure to make sure it's packaged carefully. By the way, it is also advisable to dispose of the clothes and shoes in which you cleaned. For this reason, mercury collection is carried out with gloves and a special suit.

If the collection of mercury failed

When a thermometer breaks, mercury particles often fly quite far. They can get on upholstered furniture, in places where clothes and other things are stored, roll under a baseboard or end up in floor crevices. In such a situation, it is very difficult to collect all the droplets to the last. And only specialists can help here. Before the arrival of the brigade, you need to remove all people and pets from the infected premises and open the window.

Upon arrival, security personnel will determine the concentration of mercury vapor, conduct a thorough cleaning and mark items that will need to be disposed of.

Mercury is dangerous Chemical substance, which, when it enters the human body, leads not only to a deterioration in health, but in some cases to lethal outcome. Mercury can enter the human body in different ways, so you need to know what symptoms indicate mercury, and how to provide first aid to the victim, and how to protect yourself from the phenomenon in question.

Ways of possible mercury poisoning

There are three main sources of mercury that are potentially hazardous to human body:

1. food . We are talking about shellfish and marine fish that live in polluted waters. In such cases, shellfish and marine fish accumulate a large amount of mercury, and even after thorough / deep heat treatment of products, an acceptable level of safety is not achieved.
2. Domestic . Thermometers and energy-saving lamps contain mercury, so they must be handled with extreme care. IN original state these household items do not pose a danger to humans, but if they are broken, then it is necessary to collect the leaked mercury as quickly as possible, since its vapors are really harmful. In everyday life, mercury can also be found in mercury sphygmomanometers (an instrument for measuring blood pressure), but now they are not used, since modern devices are available.
3. Medical . Mercury is also widely used in the production of vaccines, amalgams, and certain drugs.

The effect of mercury on the human body

The most dangerous is the inhalation of mercury vapor by a person, and the ingress of the chemical in question into the gastrointestinal tract, on the contrary, poses a minimal threat to health - it is practically not absorbed. If mercury enters the human body in the form of salts, it will appear almost immediately and will be pronounced.

Note:mercury salts are contained in medicinal preparations for external use, so they should be used only in strict accordance with the instructions. In addition, mercury salts are part of some fungicides used in agriculture and pari production of paints and varnishes - when working with these substances, safety rules must be observed.

Mercury negatively affects human health, regardless of age, but the symptoms of poisoning are especially pronounced in children and women. The problem is that mercury molecules are very difficult to remove from the body, and in some cases this process is not possible at all, harmful substance remains in tissues and cells, continuing to have a detrimental effect on the functioning of organs and systems.

The consequences of such a “delayed” mercury poisoning are:

• pathological disorders of the genitourinary system;
• development of inflammatory / infectious diseases of the digestive system;
• pathological lesion of the central nervous system.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

Mercury poisoning can be acute or chronic. Acute mercury poisoning occur in connection with production violations or accidents, but chronic poisoning is diagnosed against the background of constant inhalation of vapors of the chemical in question - for example, if a thermometer was broken and the leaked mercury was not completely removed.

Symptoms of acute mercury poisoning:

Note:in especially severe cases of acute mercury poisoning, the victim rapidly develops pulmonary edema, kidney necrosis, and other dangerous complications that lead to death.

Symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning:

• constant feeling;
• regular weak intensity;
• unmotivated irritability;
• apathy towards the outside world;
• persistent tremor of the upper limbs (trembling of the hands);
• decreased sense of smell and taste.

Note:if the negative impact on the human body is long time, then there are pathological and problems in the work of the heart and vascular system.

It is worth remembering that when poisoned with salts and / or mercury vapor, the central nervous system first suffers - the victim becomes overly irritable, feels very tired, complains of a constant headache, he starts. Then, if no action is taken to improve health during this period, mercury poisoning leads to a steady increase in body temperature, foci of inflammation appear in the oral cavity (sores / wounds similar to stomatitis), upper limbs and the whole body begins to tremble, it is noted increased sweating and disorders of the digestive system.

The most common mercury poisoning household level occurs after the thermometer has crashed - a banal case, but very dangerous to health, if some measures are not taken. Often this problem concerns young children - they can not only break a thermometer, but also swallow balls of mercury.

What to do if the thermometer breaks

First of all, there is no need to panic - it is quite possible to carry out measures to eliminate the danger from spilled mercury at home on your own. The following procedure must be observed:

• all things and surfaces in the room where the thermometer crashed are carefully examined - everything that is contaminated must be put in plastic bags and taken out of the apartment / house. To make it easier to see mercury, you can use a bright flashlight;
• collect all the fragments from the thermometer and mercury balls - for this, use a rubber pear ("syringe"), a scoop, a sheet of thick cardboard, and in order to comply with the safety rules for working with chemicals, you need to wear rubber gloves;

Note:it is not recommended to collect mercury balls with a vacuum cleaner, although demercurization professionals use this household appliance. But, firstly, after collecting mercury balls, it will not be possible to use an ordinary vacuum cleaner for its intended purpose, and secondly, even a washing vacuum cleaner will be suitable for further use only after it has been treated with special disinfectant solutions.

• floors and all objects on which mercury has fallen should be thoroughly washed with a chlorine-containing solution, and then with a solution of potassium permanganate. Moreover, it is necessary to comply certain sequence: first, the floors / objects are washed with a chlorine solution, then (after 10 minutes - this is the time it takes for hard surfaces to dry) - with a solution of potassium permanganate.

What is the purpose of this "event"? Mercury ceases to be liquid - salt compounds of this chemical are formed, which absolutely do not emit toxic fumes, but are dangerous when they enter digestive system person.

In addition to everything written, you need to take care not only about the cleanliness of the room, but also about your own health:

• wash the shoes in which they were in the room with soap and soda solution or potassium permanganate;
• rinse the mouth and throat thoroughly with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (it should be slightly pink in color);
• brush your teeth;
• drink 2-3 activated charcoal tablets.

What to do if a child swallowed a ball of mercury:

• give him plenty of water to drink;
• induce vomiting;
• call the ambulance.

How to dispose of collected mercury from a broken thermometer

This question is asked by many - just throwing it in the trash would be wrong, even dangerous for others. It is necessary to take the mercury collected in a plastic bag to the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations - they are obliged to accept mercury for disposal. True, most often you have to be persistent in this matter. There is another option - to collect mercury in a plastic bag and cover it with bleach or chlorine-containing substances. Then this bag is wrapped in a few more and you can be sure that the chemical in question has been neutralized - we can safely throw it in the trash.

Note:if there are doubts about the proper disposal of mercury from a broken thermometer, then you need to call specialists. Environmentalists will not only carry out cleaning work, but also measure the content of mercury vapor in the air.

Mercury is an exceptional metal, one that typical conditions is a liquid. It is used in measuring devices, in vacuum pumps. Connections mercury used as substances-detonators, as well as in medicine and agriculture. Famous for everyone fluorescent lamps also glow due to vapor mercury. This substance is still used in hydrodynamic bearings, which are subjected to particularly heavy loads. How can you find them in the air?

Instruction

1. There is a primitive and illustrative method founded on a good reaction mercury with copper iodide. The resulting substance with the formula Cu2(HgI4) has a pink-scarlet color. The higher the saturation mercury, the more saturated its color, respectively.

2. In order to make an indicator, you will need porous filter paper, any soluble copper salt, say, chloride, sulfate, a solution of potassium iodide salt or sodium iodide, as well as a solution of sulfite or sodium hyposulfite.

3. The paper is cut into strips (the size is unimportant, but for comfort it’s better than small ones), dipped in a solution of copper salt, after which it is removed, dried a little, and dipped in a solution of iodine salt. The resulting copper iodide will be mainly in the pores of the filter paper, and iodine will be on the surface, because of it the paper will “turn brown”. Later, the strips are placed in a solution of sodium sulfite (hyposulfite). The iodine is removed (this can be seen from the discoloration of the paper). Strips should be washed in clean water, dry. They are ready. It is advisable to keep them in a dark place, in a closed container.

4. If there is any doubt that the air contains couples mercury, you need to put one strip in each checked room. After a few hours, we check if their color has changed. If it turns pinkish red, it is an alarm. So there is mercury in the air! It is necessary to take measures to identify and remove the source of this poison.

Mercury is a unique element, tea it is a metal that is in liquid form under typical conditions! There are no such metals in every periodic table. Mercury vapor is extremely toxic and causes severe poisoning, consequently, it is very important to find their presence in the air in a timely manner! Tea's special trick of this element is that for the time being it negative impact does not appear at all.

You will need

• - filtered paper;
• - copper salt;
• - a solution of potassium iodide.

Instruction

1. Take filter paper (cooler with huge pores), any soluble salt copper, say, copper sulphate, a solution of potassium iodide and a solution of sodium hyposulfite (it is also sodium thiosulfate, it was previously widely used as a component of a “fixer” in photography).

2. Cut the paper into small rectangular strips, say 2x5 cm. Dip these strips in a solution of copper sulphate. Then, after drying a little, dip them in a solution of potassium iodide. The paper will quickly turn brown.

3. After this, rinse the strips in a solution of sodium hyposulfite. The paper will discolor. After rinsing in clean water and drying, the strips are ready for use. They should be stored in a dark, tightly closed container.

4. What is the point of the procedures? Initially, the strips were impregnated with copper salt, which settled on each surface of the paper (including its pores). Then, during the interaction of copper sulfate with potassium iodide, a new salt was formed - copper iodide, and pure iodine was given out. Salt "concentrated" in the pores, and iodine - on the "smooth" areas of the paper, which is why it took on a chestnut color. After washing with sodium thiosulfate solution, iodine was removed, and copper iodide remained in the pores of the strips. And from that moment on, the paper became "indicator", suitable for detecting mercury.

5. When you need to check if the air contains mercury vapor, remove the prepared indicator strips from the container and lay them out in the room. After a few hours, see if the paper has taken on a pinkish-scarlet tint. If accepted, it means that copper iodide reacted with mercury, forming a complex compound Сu2 (HgI4), that is, the air is polluted with mercury vapor! Immediately take measures to remove the source of contamination and disinfect the room.

If you broke a thermometer with mercury or a mercury lamp, then do not panic, the situation is not extremely dangerous. It should be easy to collect all the balls mercury from the surface. It is more difficult if the mercury has slipped into places in hard to reach places, say, in a crack gender or under the plinth. Little by little, it will begin to evaporate, and the vapors can already lead to poisoning. That's why you need to try to find all the balls mercury and collect them as quickly as possible.

You will need

• - potassium permanganate
• - chlorine-containing agent
• – sulfur
• - thin metal plate
• - brush
• - rubber pear
• - Scotch tape or wet swab

Instruction

1. First of all, strictly open the window or window to lower the temperature in the room, because the lower the temperature, the less mercury evaporates.

2. After that, ask people to leave the room where you need to collect mercury from gender. Close the door so as not to carry mercury balls to each apartment. At the entrance to the room, lay a rug treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

3. Now you can bravely start demercurization. Demercurization is a measure to prevent evaporation mercury. It is allowed to adopt several methods: Now more and more kits are appearing that neutralize household mercury contaminants. The attached instructions will help you do everything positively, step by step. This kit should be kept in the first aid kit.

4. If you do not have a demercurization kit, then collect the huge balls with a brush in a paper envelope. Pick up smaller balls with a rubber bulb, and collect the smallest droplets with duct tape or a damp swab. Collected mercury close tightly in a jar. After that, carefully wash the floor and treat it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

5. If mercury has got into places where it is difficult to extract it, then use the old method - cover them with sulfur. If you do not have sulfur, then use a thin metal plate and stick it into the slots. balls mercury"attract".

6. If mercury gets on soft things, then shake them out, and then ventilate them in the air for 4 months.

7. Later extraction mercury need to clean the floor. most accessible and effective method- a solution of soap and soda (500 g of soap, 600 g of soda per 8 liters of water). Treat floors and walls effectively 1% iodine solution, the one that can be obtained by buying a 10% iodine solution in a pharmacy, and dilute it in a proportion of 100 ml per 1 liter of water. It would also be cool to wash the surface with any chlorine-containing agent.

Note!
Mainly! Do not collect balls of mercury into one large ball. Don't vacuum! The vacuum cleaner, heating up, increases the area of ​​evaporation of mercury, and drops that have fallen into it will then spread in the form of vapors.

Helpful advice
And remember! Never dispose of mercury in trash cans or toilets. In perfectly closed glass jar take the mercury to the SES.

To determine the humidity pair modern experts often use specialized devices based on the mechanical separation of water, on overheating using electric current etc. But how to determine humidity pair, if a similar kind of device is not available?

You will need

• – two thermometers (liquid mercury);
• - a small piece of gauze;
• - vessel;
• - table for determining the dew point;
• - psychrometric table.

Instruction

1. Method One Take a small sample of air into a pre-prepared sealed container. Cool the container with the contents. When cooling the air in the vessel, it is necessary to continuously monitor each process so as not to miss the moment when dew drops appear on the walls of the vessel.

2. Record the temperature at which the first dew drops form. It is this figure that will be the dew point, at which the vapor in the vessel will become intense and begin to gradually turn into a liquid.

3. Determine the density of intensive pair corresponding to the measured temperature. The resulting figure will show the unconditional humidity pair .

4. Method two Take two prepared thermometers. Wrap the vial of one of them, which contains mercury, with several layers of gauze. Dip the wrapped part in water and take it out into the air. Wait until the temperature registers on the thermometers. It should be known that the temperature on a wet bulb will be lower than on a dry one. Record the temperatures and find their difference.

5. Find the column on the psychrometric table with the value that the dry bulb showed. It is allowed to take the closest value in the table if there is no exact one. Swipe along the line to the intersection of the columns, in which there is a figure corresponding to the calculated temperature difference.

6. Look at the number. It will be indicated as a percentage and will indicate the relative humidity(?). Find the density of intense pair(?n) for the temperature indicated by the dry bulb.

7. Discover humidity pair by multiplying the discovered relative humidity(?) on the density of intense pair(?n) and dividing the result by 100%, that is, according to the formula: ? = ? *?n / 100%

Mercury is a very unsafe metal, the vapors of which can cause irreparable damage to human health. However, this substance is present in every home in energy-saving lamps, mercury thermometers, and ordinary household items.

Undoubtedly, the amount of mercury in household items is small, but in the event of damage to an extremely fragile glass capsule, it is enough for a leisurely poisoning of the body. In any case, you should know what to do when the lamp or thermometer breaks.

Collection of mercury

If the thermometer breaks, you should quickly collect mercury. A vacuum cleaner is not suitable for these purposes, because, on the contrary, it will spray this liquid metal around the room. It's cooler to take an enema and collect mercury in it. After that, you should take it to the recycling point. Mercury should not be disposed of in the trash because people may be harmed by these actions.

Signs of mercury vapor poisoning

If, after collecting mercury, a person feels pain when swallowing, a saturated headache, frequent cough, metallic taste in the mouth, indigestion, weakness and drowsiness, chills, then it is allowed to talk about poisoning with its vapors. In this case, you need to quickly take action, on the contrary serious complications primitively unavoidable. Moreover, the above symptoms can occur both together and separately.

Treatment

Treatment of mercury poisoning is reduced to the complete and rapid removal of this metal and its salts from the body. In addition, it is necessary to alleviate the general condition of the patient by eliminating the consequences of poisoning and removing symptoms. It is not recommended to do this without the help of doctors. Treatment should be carried out in a hospital setting, even in the presence of certain drugs. Attempts by the patient to cope with poisoning on their own take up precious time. In the clinic for the treatment of mercury poisoning are used modern drugs removing this metal from the body. Among them it is allowed to name: "Unithiol", "Taurine", "Succimer", "Methionine", "Allithiamin". The doctor selects drugs depending on the degree of poisoning, the severity of the symptoms and the tolerance of the patient's body to certain substances. If a person has swallowed mercury or its salts, then you must first cleanse the body of the remnants of the swallowed substance. Needed without waiting for the arrival of an emergency medical care immediately induce vomiting. In this case, it will be possible to reduce the negative effect of the metal. It is important to remember that mercury is not excreted from the body on its own, but has the ability to accumulate in it, and this will later lead to death.

Helpful advice
Mercury vapor is extremely toxic, causing serious illnesses a number of organs in the human body. Many residents and guests of St. Petersburg, admiring the St. Isaac's Church, do not even suspect that several dozen people involved in gilding its dome have died or become disabled, because the amalgam method (using mercury) was used in this work. Even one is exceptional mercury thermometer, broken in an apartment, can cause trouble. Moreover, mercury vapor is odorless and for the time being does not remind anything of itself.

The threat of mercury poisoning from a thermometer, as well as the symptoms and consequences of this intoxication, is an important topic that everyone needs to know about.

The smallest particles of mercury can represent serious danger for the human body. The substance is heavy metal, which is part of some types of paints and disinfectants.

Substance Feature

Mercury is a gray-white poisonous substance that poses a real threat to human health in the presence of a standard living room temperature. It is worth noting that it is the vapors of the substance that are dangerous, while metallic mercury is not a source of danger.

The described type of metal has received sufficient distribution in the domestic industry. Often the most a prime example The use of mercury becomes a thermometer to measure a person's temperature. Also, this substance is used in the manufacture of energy-saving light bulbs, but in much smaller quantities.

The poison of this dangerous metal can cause serious harm. human systems organs. TO negative consequences contact of metal vapors with a person include: violations in the operation of systems internal organs, deterioration in the performance of the kidneys, liver, lungs, eyes and skin. Mercury poisoning from a thermometer and its symptoms include:

• weakness;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache;
• lack of appetite;
• metallic taste in the mouth;
• swelling and bleeding of the gums;
• pain when swallowing;
• It's a dull pain in a stomach;
• increase in body temperature;
• cough and shortness of breath;
• pain in the chest.

These symptoms of mercury poisoning refer to a wide range of symptoms of the disease, and therefore, to accurately determine the presence harmful metal inside on initial stage poisoning becomes difficult. Experts recommend that you immediately consult a doctor when the first of the above ailments appears.

However, there is also chronic mercury poisoning. Its symptoms vary depending on the degree of exposure to the body and the period in which the person has been in contact with mercury. It's about mercurialism - general poisoning body as a result of the consumption of mercury vapor for about 2-5 months or a little more.

Speaking about a specific case, there are symptoms associated with a violation of the nervous system. This includes increased fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, deterioration of the organs of smell and hearing, the appearance of arrhythmia. When a person comes into contact with mercury for more than 5 years, micromercurialism is possible. It is also necessary to pay attention to the time after which the first symptoms manifested themselves.

Ways of poisoning

The poison of a substance can enter the human body through several ways.

1. Food. There is a high probability that a person can consume an infected hazardous metal sea ​​fish. If fish were caught in polluted areas, then even with careful heat and steam treatment, such an individual can retain a large amount of a dangerous substance in its body.
2. Gen. Often, dangerous vapors of poison can harm a person if mercury poisoning occurs from a thermometer to measure temperature. In this case, it is necessary to collect metal particles as soon as possible, isolating children from them.
3. Medicine. Mercury is widely used in the production of a number of drugs. There is a high probability of intoxication in the case of combining drugs that contain this substance.

Mercury poisoning with a broken thermometer is recognized as one of the most severe cases. It is important to understand that correct sequence actions in such a case may prevent serious consequences.

• Immediately organize the flow of fresh air into the room. It is necessary to open all doors and windows and lower the temperature, because in the presence of warm air, toxic fumes spread more actively.
• The room poisoned with mercury must be isolated from people by closing the door. Before entering, you need to put a piece of cloth soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Such a tactic of action can minimize the spread of a hazardous substance around the perimeter of the room.
• Perform demercurization. Kits for this procedure can be purchased at all specialized stores.

Since the situation with a broken thermometer cannot be predicted, and in this case it is necessary to act extremely quickly, there are a number of the following rules that explain what to do in this situation:

1. All household objects interacting with dangerous poison from a broken thermometer, it must be placed in a plastic bag and taken out of the room. For a more thorough inspection of clothing and objects for the presence of a hazardous substance, additional lighting is used.
2. Fragments of the thermometer must be collected from surfaces using rubber gloves, cardboard and a scoop. IMPORTANT: it is unacceptable to use a vacuum cleaner and a broom when collecting metal balls, since in the future they are not recommended to be used in everyday life.
3. Any surfaces that have been exposed to a toxic substance must first be cleaned with a chlorine-containing liquid, and after 10 minutes after drying, apply potassium permanganate liquid on top.
4. Clean the shoes in which the room was cleaned (clothing in this case is recommended to be disposed of).
5. Wash and rinse your mouth.
6. Use activated charcoal.

IMPORTANT! If a ball of metal enters the child's stomach, you should immediately call ambulance, having previously provided a large amount of fluid in the patient's body. Then the child should be made to vomit.

First aid for mercury poisoning

If mercury vapor poisoning is detected in a person, a number of actions should be taken:

• Take the victim to Fresh air. When poisoning with mercury vapor, it is extremely important to ensure that oxygen enters the body.
• Rinse thoroughly the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, nose and skin areas that have been exposed to mercury. Is it running water or weak solution potassium permanganate.
• Rinse the stomach with potassium permanganate dissolved in cold water exclusively through the probe. The procedure must be repeated several times a day, after which the victim must take sorbents (the amount of poisons in the body affects how many days to take).
• Use diuretics to flush the poison out of the body.

IMPORTANT: it should be understood that such measures should be taken as soon as possible after the onset of signs of mercury poisoning.

As already mentioned, the effect of this poison on human health is very large and dangerous. However, it is worth considering that the symptoms and treatment depend on how the contact with the hazardous metal was made.

If we are talking about the inhalation of poison vapors, then acute poisoning occurs, which is considered the most dangerous and can lead to serious violations in many body systems. If mercury is ingested with food, the risk of consequences is minimal, since the stomach does not perceive the poisonous metal at the level at which it can be absorbed into the cells of the organ.

An unpleasant fact in the described case becomes extremely difficult process removing poison from the body. In rare exceptions, particles of this substance can remain in the tissues of organs for years, gradually accumulating and poisoning the body.

Speaking about the prevention of poisoning with this substance, special attention should be paid to replacing mercury thermometer to electronic, and use energy-saving light bulbs as carefully as possible. ATTENTION: it is necessary to conduct a preventive conversation with children, explaining to them how great the danger of contact with this metal is.

Treating a patient for mercury poisoning medical institutions carried out carefully, using a series of procedures.

1. Extracorporeal detox.
2. Therapy with antidotes (Unithiol, EDTA, thiosulfate).
3. Washing gastrointestinal tract using plenty of water and a probe.
4. Introduction to the body fluid with magnesium sulfate and activated carbon.
5. Patient care big amount liquids as food.
6. The use of enemas with a special solution.
7. Using a dropper to inject sodium chloride solution into the body.
8. Prevention kidney failure.
9. Massive bleeding procedure.
10. Prevention of cardiovascular pathologies.

Video: mercury poisoning - where does the danger live?

Helpful information

The most frequently asked questions in the case of a broken thermometer are as follows:

• How to dispose broken thermometer and mercury residues In such a case, the most the right way you can get rid of dangerous particles of poison and a thermometer using plastic bag, in which the fragments are placed. After that, it is necessary to take the package to the nearest department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, where specialists are obliged to take measures to destroy its contents. However, the best alternative to this would be to use a chlorine-containing substance, which is placed in a bag with mercury and a thermometer. After such a procedure, the contents should be wrapped in an additional bag and discarded away from the possible location of a person or animal.
• How to detect an excessive concentration of mercury vapor in a room? For similar procedure paper soaked in a solution of selenium sulfide is needed. Observation takes about 8-10 hours. You can also invite specialists to conduct a thorough check of the premises for the presence of a high percentage of metal content.
• What are the consequences of delayed treatment of mercury poisoning? First aid for mercury poisoning plays a key role in the subsequent development of pathologies in organ systems. Provided that dangerous particles of this metal are in the body for a long time (we are talking mainly about inhalation of mercury vapor and its salts from food), death becomes the worst outcome. In other cases, there is a so-called psychological disability, when a person is deprived of the opportunity to lead an ordinary life. There is also a high probability of developing pathologies of internal organs during intoxication.
• What is the toxic dose of mercury? If we look at the example ordinary thermometer, in which the content of liquid metal according to the standards is 2 g, then half of this mass is fatal for humans. Apply dangerous harm the body can contain as little as 0.4 mg of the substance.

Thus, we can make a general conclusion that mercury in any of its manifestations, whether it is a vapor of poison, salt or particles, is extremely dangerous for human health. The leading role here is played by the provision of first aid to the victim and as soon as possible, since slowness when poison enters the body is fraught even with death.

In a preventive conversation with children, it is worth emphasizing that hiding a broken thermometer by a child can cause a number of dangerous consequences. Therefore, it is extremely important that he receive an answer to the question: is it possible to be poisoned by mercury from a thermometer. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that mercury can accumulate in the body. for a long time.

Since the manifestation of symptoms of poisoning is not easy to calculate, the best way to protect yourself and your health will be a preventive visit to specialists who, with the help of diagnostics, will help identify and eliminate such a problem.