Thermometer is a necessary daily item for every family, especially for children at home. Thermometer is indispensable. The silvery end of a thermometer used to detect heat. The silvery end of a thermometer is mercury. To ensure sensitivity, they are usually made of glass, which makes thermometers very fragile.
Once the thermometer is broken, the mercury is exposed to the air, it will evaporate very quickly, and then adsorb on the clothes and walls, causing people to be in the mercury pollution environment, causing mercury poisoning. Mercury poisoning usually results in headache, fever, cough, stomach pain and breathing difficulties. It affects the central nervous system and can lead to behavioral disorders and even death in severe cases.
WHO calls for the global phase-out of mercury thermometers by 2020
The World Health Organization (WHO) and others launched a campaign Wednesday to eliminate the use of mercury in medical thermometers. The move comes a day after countries signed a United Nations convention to control the toxic liquid metal. "Mercury is one of the top 10 chemical hazards to public health and is a substance that can spread and remain in ecosystems from generation to generation, causing serious health and intellectual damage to people exposed to it," the experts said. The WHO says it aims to phase out mercury thermometers and blood pressure monitors that use mercury by 2020.
Carelessly break mercury thermometer.
Does breaking a mercury thermometer cause mercury poisoning?
In fact, acute mercury poisoning only occurs when a large amount of mercury vapor (> 1.0 mg/m3) is inhaled in a short period of time. However, if not handled well, the mercury concentration in a short period of time is too high, and the possibility of accidents is greatly increased. Therefore, we need to pay attention to it!
Take protective measures
Be sure to keep children and pets away from them, prepare tools, wear disposable plastic gloves, masks, etc., pay attention to remove watches, rings and other metal jewelry, to prevent chemical reaction; Take precautions, find tools and start collecting mercury that's strewn around the house.
Choose your cleanup tools
Be careful not to use a mop, rag or vacuum cleaner to clean, also do not use metal containers.
☑If you fall on a smooth, hard floor, you can take two pieces of cardboard, shine a flashlight on it, push the small particles of mercury together into larger particles, and carefully place them in a sealed bottle.
☑If it falls on a rough surface such as carpet, it is recommended to stick it with tape and put it into a sealed plastic bag or a sealed bottle.
Turn off the electric heating
This is because the curse of mercury vapor is wider and more harmful to people. Therefore, when cleaning up mercury, the indoor air conditioning or electric heater equipment is turned off to reduce its evaporation, so as not to cause harm to the body.
Pay attention to open the window to let off air
If there is a fan, it is best to open the fan to speed up the air flow, to avoid the indoor mercury concentration is too high to cause harm to the body.
Mercury sprinkles clothes or bedding
When mercury drops fall on bedding or clothes, they should be found as soon as possible. Contaminated clothes should also be hung out in the sun for several hours.
How to deal with human body after contact
Immediately after human exposure to mercury, clean up the contaminated area with cold water; If eye contact, apply plenty of cold water rinse. In case of accidental ingestion, contact the nearest poison control center immediately and request medical attention.
