What if the mercury thermometer crashed?

Why is it often asked what to do if a mercury thermometer is broken? Because everyone knows: liquid silver metal, which is a thermometric fluid of conventional medical thermometers, is a threat to human health.

But the toxicity of mercury itself fades when compared with the lethal effect of its vapors that, when inhaled, enter the body, penetrate the protein structures of cells and "settle" in the brain and kidneys, leading to severe (sometimes irreversible) consequences.

It should be borne in mind that the intensity of the process of evaporation of mercury begins to increase at about + 17.5 ° C, when its vapor pressure is 0.001 mm Hg. And at + 20 ° C it increases to 0.0013 mm Hg. Art. And the warmer the air, the higher the concentration of mercury vapor in it.

So, if your mercury thermometer has turned into splinters, and mercury from it spilled into the room, it is necessary to carry out demercurization without difficulty, that is, to collect all the mercury. To know exactly what to do if a mercury thermometer is broken, it is not necessary to remember the low viscosity and high surface tension of mercury. But be sure to know that neither a vacuum cleaner nor a broom will help you to collect the balls of mercury. The broom will only split the drops of mercury into even smaller fragments and thereby increase the surface of its evaporation.

No vacuum cleaner is able to collect the evaporation of mercury, but will only accelerate its evaporation with hot air.

Well, the drops of poisonous metal absorbed by it will render the whole system of filters of the household device unfit for use, after which it can not be used in any case!

Yes, you should not try to collect a drop of mercury with a magnet. Despite the fact that mercury is a metal, it can not be assembled with a magnet, because it is a diamagnet.

And now remember what to do if the mercury thermometer crashed.

1. From the room in which the mercury thermometer crashed, remove all household members, including quadrupeds.
2. To avoid draft, the door must be closed, and the slit under it is laid with a wet rag.
3. You need to ventilate the room, if possible, open the window to reduce the temperature of the air in the room.
4. While the room is being ventilated it is necessary to prepare a tightly closed container with a small amount of a strong solution of potassium permanganate (manganese), as well as everything necessary to conduct demercurization (see below).
5. It is necessary to wear rubber gloves and a moistened gauze respirator. Shoes protect from contact with mercury with self-made "shoe covers" made of plastic bags.
6. Collect the pieces of the thermometer and fold them into a tightly closed container.
7. Collect the drops of mercury, lighting the side of its spill (for example, a flashlight): a) using a disposable syringe without a needle; b) using a rubber syringe; c) using two sheets of thick paper (rolling drops one sheet on the other and sending them into a container with a solution of potassium permanganate).
8. Collect the droplets of mercury trapped in the cracks with a piece of brushed copper or aluminum wire or a large sewing needle wrapped in cotton wool soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate.
9. Mercury and fragments of the thermometer, as well as all improvised means should be hermetically packed and kept in a cool place, and then handed over for recycling through the call of service "101" or sanitary-epidemiological station (SES) at the place of residence.
10. The entire area on which the mercury was to be treated must be subjected to a special treatment: a) with a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate (per liter of water 2.5 g), in which a teaspoon of citric acid or 50 ml of acetic essence is added; b) 5% solution of chloramine or water with the addition of liquid bleach containing chlorine (per 2 liters of water - 400-500 ml). The applied solution should stay on the treated surface for at least 15-20 minutes. After that, the surface is washed with Glauber's salt solution (sodium sulphate, sold in pharmacies) - a tablespoon per glass of water.
11. A thorough wet cleaning of the entire room (with a solution of sodium sulfate) is done, which is done daily for at least two weeks. Do not forget to ventilate the room well, especially in the evening.

Also remember that it is impossible to send collected mercury to a refuse chute, a garbage can or wash it in a toilet bowl.

What if a mercury thermometer broke, you collected mercury, but are worried about the consequences for your health? Specialists recommend simple methods of prophylaxis in the form of mouth and throat rinses (a weak solution of potassium permanganate) and ingestion of such adsorbent composition: activated carbon, tannin and burnt magnesia (magnesium oxide) in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. This cleaning slurry is prepared at the rate of 2 tbsp. Spoons for 250 ml of slightly warm boiled water. Also after a home demercurization, you need 8-10 days to drink more water.

But if there is weakness, fatigue, sweating, headaches and drowsiness, as well as uncharacteristic apathy or irritability, you should consult a doctor.