How to handle mercury if a thermometer breaks
Jan 15, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ren Yi
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, if a thermometer containing mercury is broken, the mercury can be handled by evacuating personnel, ventilating the area by opening windows, collecting the mercury, dealing with residual mercury, cleaning the area, and monitoring for contamination. If any discomfort occurs, prompt medical attention is recommended. When handling mercury, it is advisable to proceed with caution and follow proper procedures to minimize the risks to human health and the environment.
Generally, if a thermometer containing mercury breaks, the situation can be handled by evacuating people, ventilating the room, collecting the mercury, dealing with residual mercury, cleaning, and monitoring. If any discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek medical attention promptly. A detailed explanation is as follows:
1. Evacuate people
Immediately evacuate sensitive individuals such as the elderly, children, and pets from the room to another safe room or outdoors to avoid contact with mercury. Mercury vapor formed after mercury evaporates is toxic and may harm health if inhaled.
2. Ventilate the room
Quickly open windows to maintain good indoor ventilation and allow air circulation, which can rapidly reduce the concentration of mercury vapor indoors, minimize its residue in the air, and lower the risk of inhaling mercury vapor.
3. Collect the mercury
Wear rubber gloves to avoid direct skin contact with mercury, preventing mercury absorption through the skin. If conditions allow, also wear a mask to further reduce the possibility of inhaling mercury vapor. Additionally, tools such as paper cards or small shovels can be used to gently gather scattered mercury droplets together, forming larger droplets, which can then be collected into a sealed container. Add a small amount of water to seal the container, preventing further evaporation of the mercury.
4. Deal with residual mercury
For small amounts of residual mercury on surfaces such as floors, sulfur powder can be applied. Mercury will chemically react with sulfur to form mercuric sulfide, which is relatively stable and less likely to volatilize or cause harm. If sulfur powder is unavailable, adhesive tape can be used repeatedly to stick to the areas with residual mercury, removing the mercury via the tape's adhesiveness and minimizing residual amounts as much as possible.
5. Clean and monitor
After handling the mercury, carefully wipe clean any areas that came into contact with mercury using a damp cloth. Continue ventilating the room for some time. Mercury content in the indoor air can be monitored using professional mercury detection equipment or by hiring professionals to ensure the indoor environment is safe before allowing people to resume normal indoor activities.
During the mercury cleanup process, it is recommended to proceed carefully and follow proper procedures to minimize harm to human health and the environment.
