I touched mercury with my hands what to do. What to do if a child breaks a thermometer or swallows mercury

Many people had to break mercury thermometers - this is very easy to do by shaking the thermometer surrounded by furniture and household appliances. But not everyone knows how to behave properly surrounded by dangerous mercury balls. The content of this material is worth not only knowing, but also telling about it to relatives and friends.

Mercury poisoning can land you in a hospital bed and, if left untreated, lead to very serious central nervous system and kidney problems. If you broke a thermometer, the main thing is to act quickly and correctly.

How to remove mercury

Before collecting mercury, put on rubber gloves: the substance should not come into contact with bare skin. Drive away all household members, and especially dogs and children, who can carry a harmful substance throughout the apartment on the soles of slippers. As carefully as possible, collect the mercury and all the broken parts of the thermometer in a glass jar with cold water close tightly with a screw cap. Water is needed so that mercury does not evaporate. Keep the jar away from heating devices. Small droplets can be collected with a syringe, a rubber bulb, two sheets of paper, adhesive plaster, adhesive tape, wet newspaper. In order not to miss a single ball of mercury, you can use a flashlight or a lamp. The bank must be transferred to the specialists of the "101" service.

After you have collected all the consequences of beating the thermometer, open the windows and ventilate the room well. But in no case should you create a draft before you have collected the mercury, otherwise the shiny balls will scatter throughout the room.

Treat the mercury spill with a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate or bleach. This will oxidize the mercury, making it non-volatile. If neither one nor the other was found in the house, you can prepare a hot soapy-soda solution: 40 grams of soda, 70 grams of grated soap per liter of water.

If the floor is wooden, and there are gaps between the boards, then there is a high probability that a few silvery drops hid in shelters, and at room temperature they will do their dirty work. In this case, the owner will have to deal with unscheduled repairs of the apartment, there is no other way to get rid of the uninvited chemical guest.

What to do after the aftermath

You should contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations for help by calling 101. Before you can give the jar with the collected mercury to a representative of the special structure, you can put it on the balcony, provided, of course, that it is cooler outside than in the room: low temperatures the release of toxic fumes is reduced. Drink plenty of fluids (tea, coffee, juices), as mercury formations are excreted from the body through the kidneys.

If you are not sure that the air in the house is safe after cleaning, carry out laboratory research air for mercury vapor content. For measurements, please contact the regional centers of hygiene and epidemiology.

What Not to Do

You can not throw a broken thermometer into the garbage chute: two grams of mercury evaporated there can pollute six thousand cubic meters of air. Avoid sweeping mercury with a broom: hard rods will only crush poisonous balls into fine mercury dust. It is forbidden to collect mercury with a vacuum cleaner: the air blown by the vacuum cleaner facilitates the evaporation of liquid metal. In addition, the vacuum cleaner after this will have to be thrown away immediately. You can not wash clothes and shoes that have come into contact with mercury in a washing machine and, especially, with your hands. These things are generally better to throw away. Never release mercury down the drain. It tends to settle in sewer pipes, and extracting mercury from sewers is incredibly difficult.

Mercury and children

As a child, the portal observer found some mysterious and very beautiful silver balls in the yard, which had an amazing property: no matter how much they were pressed with their fingers, they continued to retain their perfectly round shape, and if you put the small balls together, it turns out big again. The reviewer and his brother crushed these hypnotic balls until the evening, until the adults came and hit the young lovers of mercury on the neck. Although, in fact, they should have explained in advance what mercury is, how it looks and why it should not be touched by hands.

Don't be so careless, save your children from possible problems, after all Small child may even swallow a tempting shiny ball without you even knowing it. And if you do find out - immediately take the child to the hospital.

Another important point: explain to the child that no one will scold him if he breaks the thermometer. Otherwise, it may happen that your child, afraid that you will scold him for a prank, will hide the evidence somewhere under the closet, and your whole family will breathe mercury vapor for a long time.

The simplest tip to avoid the problems associated with fragile and dangerous thermometers is to purchase an electronic thermometer. It costs more, but it will save you forever from having to worry about mercury in the house.

Each of us has or has had mercury thermometer. It is indispensable for measuring temperature, but do not forget that it is very dangerous in case of damage. One should never forget about the fact that it is with a mercury thermometer that one must be very careful, it helps to measure temperature in case of illness, but if it is damaged, the metal (mercury) that is in it is very dangerous for human health. Therefore, you must follow.

What is mercury?

In order to check the room for the presence of mercury vapor, we recommend that you contact our laboratory "EcoTestEskpress" and conduct all the studies.

In such a situation, it is urgently necessary to take everyone out of the room where it is broken, and take all the necessary measures to mercurize mercury, but there are cases when children swallow mercury. In this article, we will figure out what consequences are possible if mercury was swallowed and what to do if a child or an adult accidentally swallowed a ball of mercury.

What happens if you swallow mercury?

There are very few reasons why mercury balls penetrate into a living organism, but if this suddenly happens due to inattention or negligence, you must be fully aware of this issue, otherwise a fatal outcome is inevitable.

What happens if you eat mercury? There is only one answer, this is the toxic administration of the human body, mercury fumes. It is worth noting that there are incidents when mercury enters the human body and at the same time Negative consequences penetrations are not observed, but this does not mean at all that there is no toxic effect in this. Mercury tends to persist in the body and has a deplorable effect on the nervous system, and mercury also strikes at the brain and kidneys. The chronic condition of a person is called mercury tremor.

What happens if you drink mercury from a thermometer

• emotional distress may occur
• completely lose your appetite
• dizziness and headache
• there may be vomiting as well as nausea.

But, unfortunately, situations often occur when, while confused parents do not know what to do and immediately panic, and in such situations you should not panic and you need to act quickly and clearly.

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What to do if a child swallowed mercury

It is imperative to remember that the very first thing you need to call ambulance and start first aid.

In order to free the child's intestinal tract from mercury balls, it is necessary to induce a gag reflex and rinse the child's stomach with a solution of potassium permanganate. It is worth noting that mercury that did not come out with vomit will most likely come out in the process of defecation and will not particularly harm the health of the child.

It may also happen that fragments of the thermometer have entered the child's body, they can damage the walls of the esophagus during vomiting, and then it is imperative to come to the hospital, take an x-ray and undergo a consultation with the further delivery of all tests from a toxicologist.

If a child swallowed mercury, then do not forget that he could first break the thermometer and already get intoxicated with mercury fumes, which, when high temperatures can instantly spread and settle on the skin of the child, and then through the skin get into the body.

If a child has swallowed mercury from a thermometer, do not forget that must be carried out and in which the thermometer was broken , because mercury remained there and can evaporate, poisoning the organisms of all residents of the apartment. You should also not forget that during the cleaning of mercury, you need to think about all the means of protection.

In order to remove mercury in the room, it is necessary to wear rubber gloves, a gauze bandage soaked in soda solution, and also do not forget that mercury can also be carried on the soles of shoes. To do this, you need to put on shoe covers or just plastic bags on your feet. It is also necessary to prepare a container in which mercury will be collected, for this you need to take a container that will close tightly and pour a solution of manganese into it. In order to quickly collect mercury, you need to take a medical pear, if there is none, then you can simply take cotton wool and paper, then collect mercury with cotton wool on paper and be sure to place it in a solution.

There is also a faster way to clean up the mercury, you can take thick rubber gloves and a magnet, and carefully remove any spilled mercury with a magnet. After the mercury has been collected, it is imperative to wash the floor and all surfaces where mercury balls were seen, first with a solution of potassium permanganate or bleach, and then with a soap and soda solution. After the mercury is removed, it is imperative to bathe with soap, rinse your mouth with a manganese solution, and also be sure to manually wash all your clothes.

Do not forget that it is necessary to ventilate the room for another month so that all the slightest mercury vapors completely disappear.

What are the consequences of mercury poisoning for a child

The results of mercury poisoning usually include malfunctions of the genitourinary system, malfunctions digestive systems s, as well as disruption of the work of the central nervous system which can lead to lack of coordination, lethargy, weakness and depression. It should be noted that mercury molecules are rather difficult to be removed from the human body, and subsequently have a detrimental effect on human body and poison him. Girls (women) and, of course, children are more inclined to the results of mercury poisoning, since they have the most weakened organisms.

One of interesting facts is that in modern world scientists have not yet been able to fully establish all the factors influencing mercury on the vital activity of the body, one thing can be said for sure that mercury poisoning has a positive effect on the statistics of the growth of oncological formations in today's society. If help was given to the body on time, then it can be noted that the human body, and even the child, can recover within two or three weeks.

Sources of mercury poisoning include mercury lamps and fluorescent lamps, as well as mercury fans, thermometers, as well as some pressure gauges, paints that contain mercury pigment.

So, we can say in conclusion that one should be extremely attentive to devices that contain mercury, and also be sure to explain to everyone about the consequences of mercury poisoning and instruct about situations in which mercury and mercury fumes can spread.

Therefore, you must be aware of what needs to be done in the event of the spread of mercury, and parents must also explain to children that mercury should not be picked up in any case, and even more so, it must be immediately reported to adults.

How dangerous is the situation when a child breaks a thermometer? Do you need to “evacuate” the entire apartment as a result, or is it enough just to do a wet cleaning? What effect does mercury vapor have on children's bodies? What to do if a child swallowed mercury? Similar situations occur from time to time in different families, and it is useful for all parents to know how to act in such cases.

A broken thermometer will not cause serious problems if the spilled mercury is properly disposed of.

Let's say right away: there is not so much mercury in the thermometer itself, so you should not worry about poisoning the whole family with its vapors. A thermometer broken by children, with which you usually measure body temperature, is not a reason to panic - just treat this situation with increased attention. There is no serious danger in such a case, but it can cause some harm to health.

We know from school that mercury is extremely toxic. Her couples, hitting Airways, can just make you feel a little worse, and seriously disrupt the functioning of internal organs - depending on the dose received. The most serious consequence is that a person will have to treat diseased internal organs for a long time.

Mercury begins to evaporate when the temperature in the room exceeds 18 °. Vapors enter the body not only during breathing, they are able to seep through the surface of our skin, however, in the case of a very high concentration in the air.

Mercury vapours:

• mucous membrane of the nose and throat;
• gums;
• central nervous system.

Since the body of a child is weaker than an adult, it is, of course, more dangerous for him to be in a room with mercury vapor.

Mercury vapor in high concentrations affects the mucous membranes and can cause problems with the central nervous system.

What to do if a thermometer is broken in the house

A thermometer, of course, is not a toy, you should not give it to children once again, but anything happens. If your child has already broken a thermometer, you need to quickly:

• take the baby out of the room;
• remove the fragments of the broken device;
• collect and dispose of mercury balls.

Keep in mind - mercury balls are very mobile and have the ability to seep into any cracks in the floor. Once stuck there, the mercury will begin to evaporate, posing a threat to the health of babies, because babies are closer to the floor than we are. Mercury balls are small in size, so it is quite difficult to collect them, and sometimes you can’t make out small drops with poor lighting.

Where to put the thermometer and mercury

The easiest way is to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations by calling them on the phone and explaining the situation, especially in case confusion and lack of necessary tools at hand. However, most likely, the employees will not come to you, but will simply give a brief consultation by phone, explaining what you need to do.

Disposal Requirements

Self-disposal is a step-by-step set of actions. The following tools will help you get out:

• adhesive tape, plaster, electrical tape;
• flashlight - illuminate hard-to-reach areas;
• two pieces of thick paper (you can’t use a broom and a vacuum cleaner);
• cotton wool;
• syringe or medical pear.

Do not collect spilled mercury with a vacuum cleaner. Firstly, it will evaporate even faster, and, secondly, the vacuum cleaner will not be able to be cleaned later, it is easier to destroy it.

Please note that collecting mercury balls with a broom is extremely inconvenient: you will simply drive them across the floor. Pieces of paper in this case are much more reliable.

It is better to dispose of spilled mercury with a rubber pear or a medical syringe.

You will also have to cook in glass jars:

• soap and soda solution for washing the floor;
• manganese solution of high concentration;
• ordinary water, put fragments of a thermometer and mercury into it.

We clean

1. Close the doors, removing both children and adults from the room.
2. Put on rubber slippers on your feet (preferably shoe covers), on your face - a damp cloth mask, and on your hands - thick gloves.
3. Dampen a rag in a manganese solution and lay it at the entrance, at the same time tightly plugging the gap under the doors with it.
4. Open the windows, so the mercury vapor will disappear faster.
5. Collect fragments of a broken thermometer in a jar of water. Be careful not to spill any more mercury left in the flask.
6. With two sheets of paper, collect the balls of mercury into a single puddle, then transfer it to a sheet of paper and send it to a jar of water to the "remains" of the thermometer.
7. Using adhesive tape, collect the remaining small balls, also sending them to the jar.
8. Mercury, which has flowed into the cracks of the parquet and under the plinth, is taken out using a pear (syringe). Highlight yourself with a flashlight, in the light the balls will gleam with a metallic color.
9. Next, close the jar with a tight lid and begin to wash the floor - first with manganese, and then with soapy water.

During cleaning, it is necessary to take measures that protect the respiratory organs and skin.

After cleaning up, put slippers, gloves, and a bandage in one bag along with a jar where the collected fragments and mercury are stored. Now it is desirable to find out where to put the waste: with ordinary garbage, such dangerous things are not thrown away. Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and specify the place of disposal.

Mercury-stained clothing must be disposed of and cannot be washed. It is forbidden to flush the collected mercury down the toilet.

Mercury got on the carpet, bedspread

Quite expensive clothes, a valuable carpet, of course, should not be thrown away due to mercury ingress. They can be cleaned of mercury:

• shake out blankets, clothes and carpets outside;
• hang to dry, but not on the balcony, but in deserted places - in the country, behind the house, in the garage. They will have to weather for three months;
• then hand over all things to dry cleaning, and then they are allowed to use.

quarantine measures

Taking care of the health of loved ones, it is better for a while, for about a week, to make the room where the thermometer was broken non-residential. Open the windows there and constantly ventilate, wash the floor daily with a soap and soda solution.

It is extremely important to close the door to the room - you do not need drafts in the infected room.

In case of strong fear of vapor poisoning, simply call the laboratory service. From there, they will bring special devices and measure the level of mercury concentration in the room and near the floor.

The child bit through the thermometer and swallowed mercury

Sometimes it turns out that they didn’t follow the child and came after the incident, and it’s quite possible that the baby, having “opened up” a useful thing, at the same time tried the pretty mercury balls rolled out of the broken thermometer on the tongue and even swallowed it. The situation, of course, is unpleasant, but, we repeat, not particularly critical, since the concentration of mercury in household appliances is too low to pose a serious threat to the child's body.

A child who has swallowed mercury from a thermometer should be shown to a doctor.

But still, it is necessary to show the baby to the doctor. Sometimes the baby does not drop the thermometer, but, for example, bites, gnaws, and as a result scratches his tongue, lips with fragments, and often swallows a fragment, and in such a case, the consequences are much more dangerous than mercury in low concentrations.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Fearing that during your absence the child inhaled mercury, bit off the tip of the thermometer and drank the contents, follow the baby. Poisoning can be recognized by the following signs:

• the baby quickly weakens, behaves apathetically;
• drowsiness will appear, the crumbs will feel dizzy;
• the pulse will become quickened;
• the child often wants to go to the toilet, sweats profusely;
• his arms and legs tremble;
• the baby becomes inattentive, memory worsens.

Effects

As a result of poisoning, unpleasant consequences will soon arise, fraught with complications:

• possible development of pneumonia, hypotension;
• the work of the thyroid gland will go wrong;
• hypertension will occur;
• there will be pathologies in the work of the kidneys, liver and gallbladder;
• increases the risk of tuberculosis and atherosclerosis.

Poisoning with concentrated mercury vapor can lead to serious pathologies.

Ways to remove mercury vapor from the body

Our body is quite capable of removing the heavy metals that have fallen into it. After all, mercury can accumulate in us not only when living in an apartment full of broken thermometers. There are many more in:

• some seafood;
• polluted air;
• poor quality drinking water;
• household chemicals;
• ointments and whitening creams.

There are several ways to help the body cleanse itself of accumulated mercury.

1. Make a decoction of coriander (cilantro): 8 teaspoons of finely chopped herbs are poured with a liter of boiling water, then infused for about half an hour. They drink a decoction of coriander, replacing regular tea, for a couple of months. The broth is brewed only in glassware, but not in metal.
2. Take a decoction of burdock roots. 10 grams of dried plant roots are poured with a glass of boiling water, then boiled over low heat for a quarter of an hour. The broth is filtered. You need to drink three times a day for a tablespoon.
3. Follow a special diet with a lot of seaweed, carrots, beets - the like the products themselves remove heavy metals or make them more inert.

Remember: the process of removing mercury from the body takes a long time, so please be patient.

A decoction of burdock roots will help remove mercury vapor from the body.

Prevention of trouble

Young children have to measure the temperature quite often. That's why it is better to buy for the house not an ordinary thermometer, but a special safe one - infrared and electronic. The tip of this device the baby will no longer be able to bite through, bite off with all his diligence, and it is much more convenient to use such a device - the temperature values ​​\u200b\u200bare clearly visible on the electronic display.

Using the old-fashioned mercury thermometer, follow the rules:

1. Do not give the device to small children.
2. Store the device in a special case and out of the reach of children.
3. When measuring your baby's temperature, carefully fix his hand.
4. When shaking the device, keep your hand away from objects that can easily break it.

conclusions

Remember, no matter how low the concentration of mercury is used in household thermometers, you should still protect children from it. In the case when the baby broke and even saw through the thermometer after drinking mercury, then there is still no particular reason to panic.

Urgently show the child to the doctor, and do a special cleaning in the room, utilizing the remnants of the thermometer and mercury.

Many people still have it in their first aid kit. mercury thermometer. If it breaks or a child bites off the tip, you need to know exactly what to do. In such a situation, it is easy to panic and make mistakes, so we advise you to familiarize yourself with the procedure in advance in order to properly dispose of mercury and help the child if he bit off a thermometer.

Why is mercury from a broken thermometer dangerous?

In an open environment, mercury breaks up into small mobile balls that quickly roll into corners and crevices. These balls begin to evaporate already at a temperature of 18C, poisoning the air.

Basically, mercury fumes are inhaled through the lungs, after which they settle on internal organs. Mercury vapor is seriously harmful to health even at low concentrations.

It is believed that ingested mercury is not as dangerous as fumes and is easily excreted through the gastrointestinal tract. However, if the child bit through the thermometer and swallowed mercury, sharp pieces of glass could also enter the body.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

First of all, mercury vapor affects the central nervous system, and therefore the following symptoms occur:

• weakness, lethargy;
• memory impairment;
• mood swings, irritability;
• headaches and dizziness.

Then the temperature rises, the gums may become inflamed, tremors and excessive sweating appear. Then the damage to the genitourinary and digestive systems begins: urination disorders, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. If these symptoms are ignored and do not consult a doctor, then a fatal outcome is possible.

What should parents do if a child breaks a mercury thermometer?

Make the child vomit, but only if he did not bite off the thermometer and swallow the fragments: with vomiting spasms, the glass can cut the walls of the esophagus. If a child cuts his finger with glass, treat the wounds with an antiseptic and apply sterile dressing. After the bleeding stops, the bandage can be removed and special healing ointments can be used: Bepanten, Rescuer, Feniran, etc.

The thermometer and mercury must be disposed of. It is best to call the sanitary service, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other organizations - they will carry out the disposal themselves or tell you what to do.

Before collecting mercury, take care of your own safety:

• Change into tight-fitting synthetic clothing. Remember that after disposal it will have to be thrown away.
• Put on shoe covers on your feet, rubber gloves on your hands.
• Protect your face with a damp gauze mask.

Indoors, open the windows, but do not allow drafts. Shards of the thermometer carefully place in a jar of water. Using cotton wool, roll large balls onto a sheet of paper, and collect small ones with tape. Look around the room carefully. From difficult places, mercury can be collected with a pear or syringe. Place mercury and all used tools in a jar of water and close it tightly, and put large items (clothes, gloves) in a bag. Hand over the jar and the package to special services or to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Wash surfaces with soapy soda or manganese solution. For the next 7 days, try not to be in the room, air it regularly.

What can not be done?

Doing the following is not allowed:

• the thermometer and all contact materials cannot be disposed of in the usual way and flushed down the drain;
• mercury cannot be collected with a rag, broom or vacuum cleaner;
• it is not enough just to wash the contacted clothing - hand it over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations;
• do not allow a draft in the room until all the mercury has been collected.

Many children hide their "crimes" for fear of punishment from their parents. If the baby breaks the thermometer or accidentally bites through the tip, he can secretly throw mercury into the toilet or trash. Be sure to tell your child why a mercury thermometer is dangerous, and take a promise to tell you if he broke it.

What happens if mercury gets on the skin?

Temperature thermometers, energy-saving fluorescent lamps - many of these contain mercury. When the element is broken, this poisonous substance scatters around and can get not only on things, clothes, but also on the human body. What happens if mercury gets on the skin and how to eliminate this small accident without health consequences?

Mercury on the skin

It is the mercury vapor that is formed during its evaporation that is poisonous. How physical substance the balls themselves do not do much harm, even if they have been in contact with the skin for some time. However, this does not mean that mercury should be taken with bare hands. It is better to carry out the elimination work with rubber gloves, or in extreme cases, wrap your hands with a plastic bag to avoid direct contact, since an allergic reaction is not excluded.

Skin contact with mercury can cause allergies. Characteristic features- redness, itching, possibly tingling. If these symptoms appear, contact the clinic.

However, in most cases, if the skin is cleaned in time, allergies do not occur, and burns do not occur either. All you need to do - wash mercury from the body with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or at least soap. To finally remove all particles of the substance, wipe this place with a cotton pad dipped again in a solution of potassium permanganate. Further observe: if no reaction appears on the skin within 24 hours, then there is no allergy and you can live peacefully, trying to be more careful with objects containing mercury in the future.

Drink at least 1.8 liters of water a day for the next 3-6 days to help your body flush out toxins. Recall that poisoning occurs only with prolonged inhalation of mercury vapor! The substance is excreted from the body slowly, but in general, if the dose is small (and this happens most often), this does not affect health in any way.

How to collect mercury from the floor and clothes

Having got on the skin, the substance probably spilled over the floor or other surfaces, perhaps the mercury balls got stuck in the fibers of the clothes.

1. If the house is hot, open the windows so that the temperature in the room drops to 16-18 degrees. Remember that the higher the temperature, the faster the evaporation. Ventilate the room for at least 2 hours.
2. Collect visible to the eye balls with a soft brush or piece of paper. Mercury balls stick well to copper wire or zinc plate. If fragments of the substance rolled into the cracks, sprinkle them with sand and sweep with a brush.
3. Notice them on a piece of paper, and then send them to a jar of cold water. Close the container and take it out of the house. Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and ask where in your city you can send toxic waste.
4. You can not collect mercury with a vacuum cleaner, as the vapors will instantly spread throughout the room.
5. Take the mercury-contaminated carpet outside and pat it, then brush it.
6. Clothing or bedding that has been contaminated with mercury should be placed in a plastic bag and shaken outside, away from playgrounds. After carefully shaking and knocking out things, wash them as usual.

More information on how to collect mercury after damage to a thermometer or lamp

Mercury thermometers and lamps are most often broken in the most inappropriate places - near carpets, on the bed, in the kitchen, etc. The danger of mercury is that it long time gives off harmful fumes. The human factor is always present, sometimes it is impossible to remove absolutely all particles, especially in hard-to-reach places. In such cases, it is recommended to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Service workers will test the room with a gas analyzer for the presence of a toxic background, and at the same time they will take away your jar of hazardous waste. If necessary, they will treat the premises.

Do not be afraid of what will happen if mercury gets on the skin. We remind you that it is mainly the evaporation of the substance that is dangerous, the balls themselves do not pose a big threat. Rinse your skin and don't worry.