The advantages and disadvantages of a mercury thermometer

In fact, mercury thermometer accurately measures temperature and has a very small error (0.1 degrees). Therefore, in many medical institutions is still given preference to the ordinary thermometer. In addition, if a mercury thermometer body temperature can be measured in several ways (axillary, rectal, oral), the surface thermometer is easy to disinfect, and the device does not require power supply or battery replacement. With careful handling the mercury thermometer can last for decades, and its relatively low cost (20-25 rubles) makes it attractive for the buyer.

Along with the undeniable advantages of mercury thermometers have several significant drawbacks, the most serious of which is its fragility. To break a mercury thermometer very easy, and this will inevitably lead to the poisoning of the air vapors of poisonous mercury.

Why threat a broken thermometer

Is split or break the thermometer, as on the floor immediately would be microscopic bits of glass and beads of mercury. And if the glass can cause trouble in the form of cuts, the mercury vapor, being a strong poison, are a more serious threat. Thanks to its properties, spilled from a mercury thermometer is broken into many tiny droplets that rolled in hard to reach areas (under sofa, wardrobe, skirting, in cracks of the flooring) and evaporates, poisoning the air. If time does not remove all the mercury and broken thermometer itself, you can get severe poisoning. Accumulate in the kidneys, liver, human lung pair harmful metals can cause a chronic intoxication, which is manifested by skin rash, stomatitis, diarrhea, vomiting, chills the whole body. And prolonged exposure to mercury vapors can affect the human psyche and even cause madness.

Therefore, it is important to quickly and efficiently collect the contents of a broken thermometer. Guaranteed to cleanse the premises should call the Ministry of emergencies, but it is possible to independently perform this procedure, taking all the necessary precautions.

How to collect mercury

If it so happened that accidentally broke the thermometer, do not panic. Before you start to remove balls of mercury, you must withdraw from the room all the people who will not participate in the cleaning, as well as animals. It is very important to open Windows to ventilate the room and close the doors to adjoining rooms, to mercury vapor from a broken thermometer does not spread. To collect mercury must wear rubber gloves, on her feet wear Shoe covers, mouth and nose to cover the wet gauze bandage.

In any case it is impossible to collect the mercury with a vacuum cleaner or broom. In the first case, once indoors, toxic fumes will be blown out of the cleaner together with air. In the second, the twigs of the broom can break small balls into even smaller, which would complicate their Assembly.

The most reliable way to collect mercury if it breaks the thermometer - to use an ordinary syringe. Such cleaning is time consuming and quite laborious, but the mercury bulbs are guaranteed to fall into the cavity of the rubber bulb and fall apart into smaller pieces.

To clean mercury will also help with wet newsprint, so that the balls of mercury will easily stick to it. If crashed thermometer, and leaked mercury, you can use a band-aid or Scotch tape, cotton balls dampened in water or vegetable oil, and two sheets of paper, which according to the principle of the scoop and broom cautious movements going contents of a broken thermometer.

Another simple way to collect mercury is to use a medical syringe. After cleaning it also need to plug in a jar and send for disposal along with broken thermometer.

If it so happened that the thermometer crashed to the carpet, the carpet must be removed and knock out in a place where there are no people. The concentration of a hazardous substance from one broken thermometer is not very big, in three days it will evaporate without causing harm to people and the environment.

After the contents of a broken thermometer safely collected and ready for disposal, to handle "emergency" solution of potassium permanganate (per liter of water 2 g). But since it cannot apply in all cases, retained because of them spots, you can fill the entire area, which could get the mercury from a broken thermometer bleach or any disinfectant that contains. For example, on a ten-litre bucket of water taken a glass of "white" and this solution is processed surface of the mercury in translation neopreme connection. Then soapy water, wipe again, finally removing mercury from the outskirts to the center (in a bucket of water – 100 g soap powder and 100 g of soda).

Collected mercury in no case should be disposed of in the garbage disposal or drain. Balls collected mercury a broken thermometer and all its contents should be placed in a glass container filled with water, then tightly seal it with a lid and transfer to the MOE. It should be remembered that a few grams of mercury contained in the thermometer can poison up to 6000 m3 of air.