Thermometer is a dangerous toy. The mercury content in thermometers exceeds the maximum permissible norm by 10 times. Mercury is a heavy silver volatile and very toxic liquid that evaporates very quickly throughout the room and can lead to serious consequences.
Mercury poisoning after prolonged inhalation of mercury vapor from a tenth of a mercury from a thermometer becomes chronic and leads to neurosis and damage to the kidneys. And if a child swallows mercury balls - immediately call an ambulance. Damage to the mucous membranes will only be prevented by an experienced doctor.
The thermometer crashed. Immediately isolate children and animals in another room. Highlight the mercury flow well to see all the smallest balls. Wear rubber gloves or a bag tied around your arm to quickly collect mercury. You can use a wet newspaper, paper, a soft damp brush, scotch tape or adhesive tape. Even the smallest balls of mercury from a broken thermometer must be removed.
It is recommended that mercury itself be collected in a jar of cold water, which, then, after tightly corking, put on a balcony or other cool place.
If the thermometer in the hand crashes and the skin comes in contact with mercury, or the children catch the mercury balls from the broken thermometer, you should consult a doctor. Before this, it is recommended to drink activated charcoal and a laxative, drink a glass of strong tea. Drink fluids as much as possible to remove mercury residues from the body.
Ventilate the room wide open with open windows. The place where the thermometer crashed is treated with a potassium permanganate solution or a soapy soda solution, preventing the volatility of mercury. Disinfect 30 g of soda with 40 g of dissolved soap in a liter of water.
If mercury from a thermometer gets on clothing, it should be rinsed in cold water, and then in soapy water for at least 30 minutes. Then the same amount in an alkaline solution and only then machine wash with a double rinse.
- It is forbidden to throw a broken thermometer into the garbage chute: the evaporated gram of mercury pollutes 6 thousand cubic meters of air.
- It is forbidden to sweep mercury with a broom or a brush - the bristles will only crush the balls of mercury and scatter them in the air.
- It is forbidden to collect mercury from a broken thermometer with a vacuum cleaner, which will only increase the evaporation of mercury. Mercury will ruin the vacuum cleaner, it will have to be thrown away, since further work with the vacuum cleaner will be hazardous to health.
- It is forbidden to open the windows wide before the mercury is completely collected, remember the volatility of mercury.
- It is forbidden to flush mercury into the sewer - it will settle in the pipes and sewer pipes will already become hazardous to the health of all users of this sewage system, that is, residents of your house.
Mercury collected from a broken thermometer in a jar of water should immediately be taken to a recycling facility, where it will be taken for free. Or immediately call emergency management specialists at home.
