What happens if you break a thermometer at home. If the thermometer breaks

You probably didn't realize it, but mercury was used back in ancient Egypt, bottles of mercury served as an amulet. Moreover, they even tried to cure with this metal. When a person had a volvulus, he was given a certain amount of this substance to restore order to his stomach. internal organs. Subsequently, this metal served medicine for a long time, mercury could be found in many medicinal products. But this happened until people realized that it was a toxic substance and could be hazardous to health.

Mercury thermometers are still used today, as this substance is an excellent conductor of heat. But they have the unpleasant property of breaking. And many people, if a thermometer breaks, don’t know what to do. Some believe that an apocalypse has occurred and it is necessary to urgently call all kinds of services to eliminate the devastating consequences.

But don't panic if you accidentally break a mercury thermometer, you just need to know the information about what to do and how dangerous it is. This has happened in every home and will continue to happen. Moreover, in medical institutions The thermometers break all the time. Although the situation seems unpleasant, there is a way out of it. There is a clear action plan to eliminate the consequences.

You should know how to collect mercury if a thermometer breaks at home and eliminate this unpleasant consequence. In addition, you should introduce your household to what to do if the thermometer breaks. Children must understand that they cannot hide the fact that they broke a thermometer, as this is fraught with unpleasant consequences. They are obliged to report this immediately, and if adults are not around, it is advisable to call the rescue service.

What can lead to broken thermometer

At the very end of the device for measuring body temperature there are mercury balls, which do not pose a danger to our body until they begin to release steam. And if mercury vapor penetrates the lungs, a person can become seriously ill. The mercury balls are too small, they can easily roll into the crack and hide from view.

If the mercury balls are not removed, then a person can become poisoned only by inhaling the air in this room. After some time, the balls will begin to evaporate and will poison the lungs. And considering that evaporation occurs at 18 degrees, you can imagine how quickly this process occurs.

In large quantities, this substance penetrates through the lungs, skin pores or mucous membranes. After some time, defeat occurs central nervous system, the kidneys begin to fail, the gums are destroyed. As a result, this leads to other dangerous changes in the body.

A dangerous dose when a person dies is 2.5 mg. But don't worry, the thermometer is too small to cause great harm to the body. However, failure to act when it is damaged can really have huge consequences. The mercury ball is very small, it weighs only two grams.

But even one gram will create a concentration in the room above any norm and vapor poisoning occurs immediately. However, this does not mean that you will have to leave the apartment, but you shouldn’t leave it all like that. You just need to know how to collect mercury from a broken thermometer.

Symptoms of mercury overdose

When a person is exposed long time let small exposure to mercury, he develops chronic diseases. Many diseases of the central nervous system occur, accompanied by insomnia, nervous disorders, and depression. At the same time, hands often tremble and pneumonia develops. The kidneys, liver, and heart also malfunction.

Children and pregnant women should never be in such a room, they are the most vulnerable and can suffer the most. Pregnant women risk the health of their unborn child. In women childbearing age the menstrual cycle is disrupted.

Long-term poisoning with mercury vapor will have irreversible consequences. The person will most likely have huge problems with memory, his performance will decrease significantly, as it will be difficult for him to concentrate. Hypertension, psychosis, tuberculosis can affect him.

Coloring the mucous membranes of your mouth red will help you understand that you have mercury poisoning. This creates a metallic taste in the mouth. At severe intoxication Nausea, vomiting, and severe, unbearable pain in the stomach occur. Body temperature can rise to 39 degrees.

Children react to poisoning by having bloody diarrhea. Their urine becomes cloudy. The gums become swollen and blood flows from them.

A person severely poisoned by mercury feels strong fear, his whole body trembles, convulses. He has a severe headache and has difficulty swallowing. When the body is affected a large number mercury, then death is immediate.

How to collect mercury from a broken thermometer

If a mercury thermometer breaks, some people find it difficult to remember what to do. If you find it difficult, then call special services; you should know their numbers in advance. They are always ready to provide their assistance in this case and describe in detail how to collect mercury from a thermometer. Then you need to ask all household members to leave and take their pets with them.

After this, measures can be taken to remove the harmful substance. For example, if a thermometer breaks at home, what should you do:

Prepare water, add potassium permanganate there, if you don’t have it, then a small amount of soap and soda;
Take a container of water fairly large size;
Prepare paper, a syringe, cotton swabs, a knitting needle, any adhesive tape, a small light source, or a flashlight;
Put on shoes that you can then throw away;
Make a gauze or cloth bandage to protect your respiratory system;
Protect your hands with gloves, preferably rubber medical ones;
Soak a piece of cloth in a potassium permanganate solution and place it on the floor near the door;
Open the window in the room, but front door keep closed;
Carefully remove the thermometer debris, trying not to make unnecessary movements;
Collect balls of mercury on a piece of paper and cotton wool, lower them into a jar of water;
Place duct tape on the floor to catch any small particles that may accidentally remain. The duct tape should then be placed in a jar of water;
Using a bright light from a lighting source, inspect the entire surface of the floor, all the cracks. If there are metal balls left there, you will see them immediately, as they reflect metal. Try to pull them out with a knitting needle if they have rolled into the gap and draw them into the syringe;
If you suspect that mercury has gotten under the baseboard, you will have to break it to collect everything that could have gotten there;
The jar where you put the mercury should be well closed;
Wash the floor with a solution of potassium permanganate or soap and soda;
Take off your mask, gloves, outerwear, put it in a plastic bag;
Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations number and ask how to get rid of everything that has been in contact with harmful substances;
Wash thoroughly in the shower, and don't forget to rinse your mouth. You can use any disinfectant solution. Also take two tablets of activated carbon to avoid poisoning the body. Mercury will be excreted from the body after some time through urine and therefore it is worth helping it. Taking diuretics will help relieve this harmful substance in a short time.

All actions to collect mercury from a broken thermometer must be quick. This shouldn't take you several days. It is better not to live for some time in the room where the thermometer broke. Rinsing floor surfaces with water is mandatory; make a solution with the addition of disinfectants. It is acceptable to use bleach. Open a window from time to time to clear the air. Avoid drafts.

If you suspect that not all mercury beads have been removed, call sanitation to have them come and check the area. special devices.

Undesirable actions when disposing of mercury

Under no circumstances should you throw a broken thermometer into a trash can or garbage chute. Even if the mercury has not leaked from the thermometer, it should still be disposed of in a special place.

Keep the jar in which you put the thermometer fragments and mercury balls with you until it is taken away specialized organization. She should destroy such things.

Do not attempt to remove mercury fallout using normal household cleaning products. Neither a broom nor a vacuum cleaner is suitable in this case.

The clothes and slippers you wore during your self-disposal of mercury should also be taken to the sanitary organization, do not wash it yourself.

Drafts after mercury disposal in the room are unacceptable.

What you should definitely know

If you hate recycling your clothes because they're expensive, you can air them outside. Try to hang clothes away from people; you can use an attic or barn for these purposes. Clothes must be left outdoors for at least 3 months, and then they must be washed several times, adding soap and soda to the water.

When mercury balls end up on the carpet, removing them yourself becomes more difficult. The carpet will most likely have to be disposed of. But if you are unable to part with something dear to you, then you can place the carpet on open air for a few days. After this, take the carpet to the dry cleaner.

Sometimes mercury gets on other things - furniture. In this case, it is better to remove it for a while. Support the furniture in country house or a garage where it will air out. After 3 months you can take her back home.

When a thermometer broke at home and mercury balls fell into heating device, then here the matter becomes significantly more complicated. The mercury will definitely boil and its vapors will poison the air in the room. You cannot try to get rid of the consequences on your own. In this situation, the only thing that will save you is closing the door tightly and calling the rescue service.

Women expecting the birth of a child, children and the elderly should under no circumstances be in the room where the thermometer has broken.

It often happens that a child swallows mercury balls. It is necessary to call the ambulance number so that they can examine it and eliminate the danger. Under such circumstances, the child is unlikely to be poisoned, but fragments of the thermometer, which can also accidentally get inside along with mercury balls, can damage the LCD.

If you find out that one of your household members has removed mercury balls with a vacuum cleaner, then get rid of this device. Otherwise, mercury will spread indoors through the filters of the vacuum cleaner and poison the human body. The hose from the vacuum cleaner and the bag are discarded, the remaining parts can be aired out and then reused.

Some people may unknowingly flush mercury beads down the drain. In this case, you should check your knees to see if they are stuck there. If this does not happen, then most likely there is no need to be afraid, since waste water it has already been washed away. But if you find balls in your knees, then put them in a jar with a solution of potassium permanganate and hand them over to a sanitary organization.

How to handle a mercury thermometer

You should always remember the consequences of a broken thermometer and handle it carefully.
Never keep it in a place where small children can reach it.
When measuring temperature, it should be pressed tightly against the body.

When you try to remove the readings, shake it free space where nothing interferes.
Keep the thermometer in a hard case.

To relieve yourself of severe anxiety, you should purchase electronic thermometer. At least you won’t be afraid for the health of your household and your own.

Yes, a broken mercury thermometer really poses a great danger to human health. According to the Great Medical Encyclopedia, mercury is a highly toxic poison belonging to the first class of extremely dangerous substances. A medical mercury thermometer contains from 1 to 2 grams of mercury; if the substance is in the room, it begins to evaporate. The concentration of mercury vapor in this case may exceed the maximum permissible norm up to 1000 times. If the source of intoxication is not eliminated in time, then mercury vapor will not weather on their own, they will remain indoors for many years. For this reason, the production of mercury thermometers is banned in many countries.

What harm is caused to health?

A few hours after mercury enters a room, acute poisoning can occur. According to the official website of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, it is manifested by lack of appetite, headaches, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The mouth may feel metallic taste, it becomes painful to swallow, drooling and bleeding gums appear.

If the mercury particles are not completely eliminated, the fumes will continue to affect the nervous system. With regular contact with the substance, after 5-10 years, chronic poisoning. Big medical encyclopedia indicates that it is accompanied by frequent headaches, dizziness, increased fatigue, general weakness, sleep disorders, irritability, respiratory diseases. Anxiety, suspiciousness, and depression appear.

Intoxication with low concentrations of mercury, which is called micromercurialism, manifests itself after two to four years of constant contact with mercury vapor. It is characterized by increased excitability and disturbances in the emotional sphere.

In general, mercury vapor intoxication affects not only the nervous system, but also the cardiovascular system, endocrine glands. The kidneys also suffer greatly; it is through these organs that large amounts of mercury are excreted from the body.

Inhaling mercury vapor is especially dangerous for children, the elderly and pregnant women. Their body has less ability to resist toxic fumes. Symptoms of poisoning begin to appear more quickly in these groups of people.

How to treat poisoning?

In case of acute poisoning, you should immediately consult a doctor. You cannot self-medicate; treatment must take place in a hospital setting.

If the poisoning has reached the chronic stage, then you should also contact specialists, follow their recommendations and take the medications they prescribe

A thermometer crashed - a catastrophe on an “apartment” scale with possible serious consequences. The article describes all the steps to independently eliminate mercury at the household level.

Why is mercury from a thermometer dangerous: symptoms of mercurialism

In the 19th century, mercury was used in the production of felt for hats, and the eccentric behavior of hatters became the source of many anecdotes and funny stories. Over time, when the source of mental and physical health hatters was identified, chronic poisoning by mercury fumes was called “hatter’s disease.”

Interesting fact. Lewis Carroll created the image of his hero - the Mad Hatter - by studying the anamnesis of real hat patients at one of the medical institutions.

Symptoms of “hatter disease”:

uncontrolled rhythmic movement of the hands (hand tremors),
sudden mood swings: from depressive states to joy,
obsessions,
deterioration of general physical condition, including dysfunction of the heart, kidneys, and lungs.

In science, there is a term for “hatmaker’s disease” - “mercurism” (in the table chemical elements mercury is listed as Mercury).

Risk of experiencing symptoms mercurialism everyone has:

having in home medicine cabinet regular medical thermometer,
tonometer with mercury,
using fluorescent lamps.

As soon as the glass capsule breaks, moving mercury balls break free, you are in a panic looking for the answer to the question: “What to do?!”

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks at home?

Don't ignore the incident!

Calm down, act quickly and collectedly.

Step 1. Remove children, elderly people and pets from the premises and open windows.

Important! Do not arrange through ventilation! A draft can disperse mercury balls throughout the room!

Step 2. Prepare a solution of potassium permanganate.

It is prepared like this:

Dissolve 2 g of potassium permanganate powder (“potassium permanganate”) in a small amount hot water.
Add 1 liter of potassium permanganate to the resulting concentrate cold water and 1 tablespoon of regular table vinegar.
Mix thoroughly.

Reference: 1 teaspoon of potassium permanganate powder is equal to 15 g.

Important: Undissolved potassium permanganate crystals, if they get on the skin and mucous membranes, can cause a burn!

In addition, for demercurization (mercury removal) you will need:

glass jar with a tight lid. The jar should be partially filled with plain water,
rubber bulb (syringe) or medical syringe,
wide adhesive tape.

Step 3. Put on a damp gauze bandage and rubber gloves. You can replace gloves and shoe covers with plastic bags or plastic stretch film.

Important. The bandage should be damp, not wet!

Step 4. Collect mercury.

How much mercury is in a thermometer?

Remember: a medical thermometer contains only 2 g toxic substance.

How to properly collect mercury from a broken thermometer on the floor?

What not to do?

Touch mercury beads with unprotected hands
Stepping on mercury
Sweep with a broom or brush
Vacuuming with a vacuum cleaner

The simplest and effective way self-demercurization - using adhesive tape.

Carefully apply 20 cm long adhesive tape to the surface with mercury balls and thermometer fragments.

Remove the tape in a smooth, slow motion, avoiding sudden jerks of the tape.
Carefully glue the tape into a ball and place it in a jar of water.

The operation must be repeated several times until you have collected all the relatively large mercury balls.

Small balls can be collected using a bulb or syringe.

Important: Use the blower correctly. Do not squeeze it like a pump, but only suck in the air along with the mercury.

If the metal ball rolls out of the container, try using a needle to narrow the hole.

As soon as the first ball is “caught”, send it to a jar of water. When all the mercury has been collected, seal the jar tightly with a plastic lid. Place the jar in a cool, dark place.

Rinse the floor thoroughly with a solution of potassium permanganate using a cloth (the floor should be rinsed with this solution for several days).

Place the napkin, gloves, shoe covers in a hermetically sealed container and fill it with a demercurization solution of potassium permanganate (water-manganese solution).

Important: Do not use additional chemicals for wet cleaning after demercurization!

Where to throw away a broken mercury thermometer?

Take the collected mercury, a container with gloves and other items that have been in contact with mercury balls, to a mercury collection point. The address of the point can be found in the department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Important!!! Do not pour water containing mercury down the drain or in your yard! Do not throw the jar of mercury into the trash!

What to do if the thermometer breaks on the carpet, how to collect mercury?

Video at the end of the article " Deadly mistakes when collecting mercury. How to collect mercury correctly!» will tell you how to remove mercury from the carpet without harming your health.
After removing mercury:

roll the carpet from the edges to the center,

pack as tightly as possible in plastic wrap,
take it outside the living area.

Important!!! Items that have come into contact with mercury must be handed over to the “Reception point for mercury-containing waste”!

Where to donate mercury from a broken thermometer: recycling mercury from a thermometer

Collect mercury using the method described above.
Fill the location of the mercury balls with a solution of potassium permanganate.

A soap and soda solution will also help slow down the process of mercury vapor release. To prepare it you will need:

1 liter hot water
30 g soda
40 g grated soap

Mix all ingredients thoroughly until the soap dissolves. Treat the location of mercury with a solution ( after the mercury is collected!).

3. Carefully collect the bedding (collect, folding from the edges to the center to prevent small balls from rolling out) and place it in a thick plastic bag.
4. Call representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (phone number “01”).

How long should you ventilate a room where a mercury thermometer has broken?

IMPORTANT: The room where the mercury device was broken should be ventilated for 7 days after demercurization.

If this is a residential premises, stay in it should be limited to children and the elderly.

Is it dangerous to keep a broken thermometer at home?

Many consider talk about the dangers of mercury to be empty hot air. At the same time, I definitely remember my childhood and stories about mercury balls constantly rolling around in boxes desk or about pranks with coin substitution.
All these stories have the same conclusion: I lost my entire childhood with mercury and I’m still alive!

However, no one talks about general deterioration ecology, which leads to deterioration in the health of not only adults, but also children. The world around us full of toxic plastic, poisoned water, genetically modified foods.

It is quite difficult for a weakened human immune system to withstand the impact of mercury vapor.

How quickly does mercury evaporate from a broken thermometer?

Important: With a maximum permissible concentration of mercury vapor in the atmosphere of 300 ng/m³, within a few minutes after the thermometer breaks, this figure rises to 4783 ng/m³

Fact: 2 g of mercury, evaporating, pollutes 6000 m³ of air.

Mercury poisoning from a broken thermometer: symptoms and signs

Mercury is a very volatile substance. Metal vapors, along with air, enter the lungs. Then, about 80% of the toxic substance, along with the blood, penetrates all organs of the body and poisons the body.

As a result, a person feels:

nausea
difficulty breathing
joint pain
headaches
weakness, etc.

At mercury poisoning urgent hospitalization required: Mercurialism does not spare the central nervous system and kidneys.

Is it dangerous to keep a broken thermometer at home? Science says: dangerous!

Where to go if the thermometer breaks?

“Extraordinary” number, familiar from childhood “01”
City Emergency Rescue Service
City sanitary-epidemiological station

Video: Deadly mistakes when collecting mercury. How to collect mercury correctly!

Video: How does mercury destroy brain neurons?

What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks? How to avoid unpleasant consequences? Read about it below.

If you handle a mercury thermometer carefully, store it out of the reach of children and protected from direct sun rays place, then this device does not pose any danger. Modern thermometers are sold in special cases that will soften the blow even if dropped.

However, it should be remembered that if the integrity of the thermometer is damaged, there is a health hazard. It contains liquid heavy metal– mercury, the fumes of which are highly toxic. This substance belongs to the first class of extremely dangerous substances. That is why in many countries the production of mercury thermometers is completely banned. Just 1-2 grams of the substance can cause serious mercury poisoning.

How dangerous is mercury: consequences for the body

If the thermometer does break, the moving mercury balls quickly get clogged into small cracks and roll into corners, where it is very difficult to get them out. The mercury that is not immediately collected begins to evaporate. The evaporation process occurs at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. The poison gets into human body usually through respiratory tract, causing poisoning.

Many will say that if the thermometer were so dangerous, it would be completely excluded from sale. Certainly, acute poisoning may not happen, but prolonged inhalation of toxic vapors can lead to unpleasant consequences.

There may be:

deviations from the nervous system (CNS);
kidney and liver problems;
thyroid diseases;
breathing problems, pneumonia;
damage to the fetus during pregnancy.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

If a thermometer breaks in an apartment, you must urgently take care to remove all pieces of glass and particles of mercury. Contact with mercury itself is practically not dangerous, but if you inhale mercury vapor, you can harm your body great harm. Depending on the concentration of the substance in the air, they may appear unpleasant symptoms, which should be of concern.

These include:

severe fatigue under standard loads;
drowsiness;
lethargy;
dizziness or headaches;
tremors in the hands (shaking);
increased sweating;
low blood pressure;
apathy, depressive states;
insomnia.

If several of the above symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor, as well as special services that will use special devices to measure the concentration of vapors of a hazardous substance in your home. How to collect mercury from a broken thermometer? What items do you need to prepare and how can you protect yourself during this process? These questions are asked by everyone who has broken a thermometer at least once. Find out how to properly remove a dangerous substance below.

First aid for mercury poisoning

If you break a thermometer and suspect that poisoning has occurred toxic substance, you must immediately contact medical institution. Treatment of intoxication caused by mercury vapor is carried out only in a hospital setting, so you should call an ambulance.

Before the ambulance arrives, you can slightly alleviate the condition of the poisoned person.

If he is conscious, you should act like this:

Provide complete peace bed rest.
Provide maximum access to fresh air.
Carry out gastric lavage.
Induce vomiting.
Accept activated carbon based on the calculation of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight;
Provide plenty of fluids.

If the poisoned person is unconscious, he must be laid on his side and fresh air must be allowed into the room. The condition of the patient's tongue should be monitored to avoid retraction.

What to do if a mercury thermometer is broken

If a thermometer breaks at home, you should immediately vacate the room from people and pets.

You need to prepare:

saturated manganese solution;
soda-soap solution;
a couple of sheets of thick paper;
medical pear;
a piece of cotton wool, a syringe;
an awl or other similar item;
adhesive tape or tape;
flashlight.

Before cleaning, you need to put shoe covers or simple bags on your feet, and a medical or regular gauze bandage on your face. Hands should be protected with gloves. Next, soak a rag in strong manganese and place it on the threshold of the room. The window should be open, but in other rooms they should be closed.

The thermometer is carefully lifted, trying not to spill the remaining mercury, and placed in a jar with potassium permanganate and water. Using prepared sheets of paper, all the balls from the floor are driven into one large one, lifted with a piece of cotton wool and also placed in water. Next, apply the sticky side of the tape over the entire surface where small particles of mercury may be located. The balls will stick to it; they also need to be placed in a jar with a manganese solution along with tape. You can remove balls from hard-to-reach places using a bulb or syringe.

After the balls are collected, the floor and all surfaces where they were located should be washed with a manganese solution. Clothing, gloves, a mask, all things that could come into contact with the poison are placed in a separate bag and tied well. What to do with a broken thermometer and other things? You need to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and find out where to hand over the can and the package with dangerous contents. After all activities, you need to take a shower and rinse oral cavity soda solution.

Most of the evaporated mercury that enters the body is excreted through the kidneys. This is why you should drink a lot after cleaning activities. clean water. The liquid will help remove most of the harmful substance.

If possible, try to keep people and animals out of the room for about a week. It must be constantly ventilated, and the surfaces and floors should be thoroughly washed daily with a soap-soda solution with the addition of a chlorine-containing detergent.

How to clean a room after cleaning mercury

If a thermometer breaks, simply removing the mercury is not enough. After the source of the hazardous substance has been removed and all things that came into contact with it have been removed, you can begin the final stage of cleaning.

For this they prepare special solutions, which, when interacting with mercury, react with it, forming other, absolutely harmless compounds. This process is called demercurization.

The specified solutions must be used to treat all surfaces that could come into contact with toxic metal. This is necessary so that even the smallest balls do not remain in the room. For processing, you can use a dark solution of potassium permanganate, but this will require gloves.

All poisoned surfaces are treated with this product. If there are cracks on the floor of the room, then the solution must be poured into them. The treatment can be carried out with ordinary sponges or washcloths. It is very convenient to use a spray bottle. If you don’t find regular manganese in your home medicine cabinet, you can resort to another remedy. Bleach (bleach) works well with mercury.

As you can see, the demercurization process is not at all complicated. After its completion, the room is ventilated for several more hours. Doors to other rooms must be tightly closed.

What to do is strictly prohibited and dangerous

It is strictly forbidden to throw mercury or a broken thermometer into the garbage chute or waste container. Using a manganese solution is only a temporary measure; if mercury is placed in a jar with such a solution, it also cannot be disposed of in the usual way.

When collecting mercury, do not use a broom, vacuum cleaner or ordinary rag. It is forbidden to machine wash the clothes you were wearing while removing mercury. It is also strictly forbidden to create a draft at home.

Disposal of items after contact with mercury

What should you do if a thermometer breaks on a fluffy carpet, favorite chair or sofa? It is almost impossible to remove metal balls from upholstered furniture, toys or carpet pile. In this case, the only correct solution would be to recycle all these things.

If it is not possible to recycle items, they can be aired out. This must be done in rooms where there is no access to people and animals or on fresh air, for example, under a canopy away from home. How long does it take for mercury to disappear if a thermometer breaks in an apartment? It will take several months to completely remove mercury vapor from things or a room. However, even this method does not guarantee final purification from toxic substances.

If the rescue service refuses to accept your items for disposal, they must be rendered unusable so that no one can use them. Pack tightly in a plastic bag, then take it to a landfill. Do not dispose of these items in containers near residential buildings. It is best if you find a landfill in a non-residential area.

However, it happens that your favorite clothes have come into contact with mercury, which is a shame to throw away. What to do in this situation? Things can be put in a plastic bag and then hung out for airing. After a couple of weeks, the bag can be removed and the remaining hazardous substances can be removed for about 3 months. The clothes are then washed in soap and soda solution, then with regular powder. But guarantees complete cleansing This method, of course, does not work.

When to turn to professionals

You should know that the boiling point of such a dangerous substance as mercury is only 40 degrees. If its droplets hit a hot or heated surface, evaporation will occur instantly. If mercury gets on a heating radiator in winter period, you won’t be able to do it on your own.

You should not collect mercury yourself in rooms that cannot be ventilated. Also, you should not resort to independent actions if the air temperature is very high. It is strictly forbidden for people at risk to clean up hazardous substances:

pregnant women, since toxic fumes penetrate the placenta, which can lead to various abnormalities in the development of the fetus;
children under 18 years of age and people over 65 years of age;
patients with a history of chronic and acute diseases central nervous and urinary systems.

In all of these cases, you must contact emergency services and leave the premises immediately. In this way, it will be possible to avoid poisoning by mercury vapor.

Prevention of mercury poisoning from a thermometer

Reducing the risk of poisoning from mercury vapor from a thermometer is not difficult.

Regular mercury thermometers can be replaced with modern infrared or electronic ones. The measurement accuracy of these devices is quite high, but there is no risk of harming yourself and your household.
Mercury thermometers should not be given to children without supervision.
If measurements are necessary, you need to firmly fix the baby's hand.
Temperature readings should be lowered away from solid objects. If you accidentally hit a nearby table, the device will break from the impact.
The thermometer can only be stored in the special cases with which it is sold.
If the device does break, you need to follow the recommendations given above on how and with what to collect mercury from the thermometer.
The thermometer must also be disposed of according to the rules.

Now you know what to do if the thermometer breaks and whether it is dangerous. Carrying out the described measures will help to avoid accidental poisoning with mercury vapor. Using the above instructions for collecting dangerous substances will help you not to worry about the health of loved ones and relatives.