The small silvery ball in a mercury thermometer can be dangerous if the glass breaks and the mercury is not cleaned up properly. The mercury will evaporate and can contaminate the surrounding air and become toxic to humans and wildlife.
Is thermometer mercury safe to touch?
Mercury is a very toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it, a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to harm you .
Has anyone died from a mercury thermometer?
when 1.1 grams of mercury from a broken fever thermometer were collected and placed in a pan that was laid on a hot kitchen stove. As a result, the mercury vaporized quickly. Two elderly patients devel- oped severe pulmonary edema, diarrhea, confusion, tremors, and coma, and died after 7 and 17 days of hospitalization .
What happens if a mercury thermometer breaks?
If you break a mercury thermometer or light bulb, a small amount of liquid mercury may spill out . Liquid mercury can separate into small beads, which can roll some distance away. The mercury may also evaporate into vapour. However, this small amount of mercury is extremely unlikely to cause problems for your health.
Can mercury from a thermometer hurt you?
Mercury vapor is not irritating and has no odor, so people do not know when they are breathing it. Even the small amount of mercury from a broken thermometer can cause harm, especially to children, unless it is properly cleaned up and removed.
What gets rid of mercury?
The traditional treatment for mercury poisoning is to stop all exposures. In many cases, chelation therapy is also used. This involves giving a medication (the chelator) which goes into the body and grabs the metal (chelos is the Greek word for claw) then carries the metal out of the body, usually into the urine.
How do you dispose of mercury at home?
Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag . Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Place the trash bag outside in a secured area and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
Can you get mercury poisoning from broken thermometer?
A broken mercury -containing thermometer can be toxic if the vapors are inhaled . The risk of poisoning from touching or swallowing mercury from a broken thermometer is low if appropriate clean-up measures are taken.
Can you still buy a mercury thermometer?
While mercury thermometers can measure temperature within one degree Celsius, digital thermometers can be as accurate as 0.001 degrees C a difference of four orders of magnitude in accuracy. This changeover won’t be a big deal for the average person “In fact, you can’t buy [mercury thermometers] anymore ,” Strouse said.
What do you do if you accidentally touch mercury?
As long as you don’t expose your skin to the metal too much and you wash your hands after then you would be fine. If any mercury did absorb through your skin then the amount will be so small then you would urinate it out, leaving no mercury in your body and meaning it won’t build up to harmful amounts.
Is mercury illegal to own?
Effective January 1, 2003 , the California Mercury Reduction Act banned the sale of many products containing mercury. Even though they are banned from California’s marketplace, these mercury containing products still are frequently found in homes.
Which is better mercury thermometer or digital?
1. Digital thermometers provide faster results. Digital thermometers provide fast results as opposed to mercury thermometers whose readings are slower to realize because you have to wait for the mercury to heat and then slowly rise to display the temperature.
How do you dispose of a mercury thermometer?
- county and local health departments;
- county hazardous waste facilities;
- recycling centers; and.
- state official(s).
What organ is affected by mercury?
High exposure to inorganic mercury may result in damage to the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the kidneys . Both inorganic and organic mercury are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and affect other systems through this route.
How long does a mercury thermometer take?
After shaking the mercury down, place the thermometer under the child’s tongue, with the bulb toward the back of the mouth. Tell your child to keep the lips firmly closed, but not to bite the thermometer. 3. Leave the thermometer in place for 3 minutes .
How do I know if my thermometer is broken?
- Fill a pot with water, and place the thermometer in the pot. ...
- When the boiling is constant and rolling, make sure it’s reading 212°F or 100°C (at sea level).
- Set a timer for five minutes, then check the thermometer again.
