Mercury vapors formed in the room after pouring metal from a broken thermometer, cracked energy-saving light bulbs and other sources pose a serious threat to humans. This gas is colorless and odorless, so it is impossible to feel its presence if you do not know about the impending threat. However, the symptoms of poisoning will worsen every hour, so it is necessary to neutralize as soon as possible!
The substance itself belongs to the first hazard class, however, in the liquid state, mercury is not as harmful to health as in the gaseous state. For example, a small amount of metal that is swallowed tends to be excreted naturally from the body, causing in the worst case stomach upset and general malaise. At the same time, mercury vapor, even at a seemingly insignificant concentration when inhaled, can cause serious symptoms, including CNS damage, multiple organ failure, and even death. Therefore, when bottling mercury, the most important thing is to prevent or at least reduce the rate of vaporization before the arrival of the demercurization service. Signs of mercury poisoning: more
Mercury begins to release toxic fumes at temperatures of 18 degrees and above. That is, if you manage to cool the air in the room where the accident occurred, the process will slow down or stop altogether. To do this, you can turn off all heating devices, including those that emit heat indirectly (gas stoves, ovens, etc.). It is also recommended to open the window, however, it is necessary to ensure that there is no draft in the room – even the slightest breeze can spread metal particles and increase the pollution radius. For the same reason, you should not turn on an air conditioner with a blower system and a fan – air flows, albeit cold ones, in this case will not bring the desired result.
After the measures taken, you need to contact specialists who will urgently carry out the neutralization of mercury and its vapors that have managed to form in the room. Do not neglect such a measure – it is impossible in principle to get rid of all the smallest particles of metal on your own. Only emergency neutralization is guaranteed to clean the home from mercury and its vapors. Call to «mercury expert» ,demercurization service in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, and you can get all the necessary information, as well as call specialists to carry out demercurization activities.