Mercury poisoning. What to do if you have mercury poisoning

What does the average person know about mercury? Firstly, you can often hear the expression “mobile, like mercury”; secondly, mercury is often called living silver, because it has a silvery color and is very restless - it tends to crumble into tiny balls, and then “run away” altogether. Everyone also knows that mercury is poisonous.

In addition, it is known that countries European Union abandoned the use of mercury thermometers back in 2007, since mercury from broken medical devices had an extremely negative impact on the population, and the refusal of these devices was supposed to protect residents European countries from risks associated with health and environmental conditions.

Some interesting facts about mercury

Fact No. 1. Mercury is a metal. One of most interesting features mercury has a low melting point. And it’s really low - mercury melts in the cold, and, by human standards, in quite severe frost: the melting point of mercury is -38.86 °C. Therefore, frozen mercury can only be seen in Antarctica, where the temperature drops below -70 °C.

Fact No. 2. Mercury is very heavy - its density is 13.5 g/cm3. If mercury were collected in a standard bucket, its weight would be 162 kg.

Fact 3. Mercury dissolves in aqua regia (a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids).

Fact 4. Mercury can dissolve other metals, forming so-called amalgams. Nickel, iron and manganese do not form amalgams (that is, they do not dissolve in mercury).

Fact 5. Mercury in pure form found in nature extremely rarely and in very small quantities - in the form of drops on cinnabar (a compound of mercury and sulfur). Most often, mercury is found in the form of compounds with sulfur, chlorine, iodine, selenium and silver. The most significant reserves of mercury are located in Austria, Spain, California (USA), Peru and Chile, as well as in China and Russia.

Fact 6. The combination of mercury and iodine is explosive.

Fact 7. Mercury was used even before our era - in Mesopotamia, China and the Middle East.

Fact 8. Attention! World Organization Health ( WHO ) counts mercury alone them from ten essential chemicals (groups of chemical substances ), which I represent T poses a very significant health problem worldwide.

On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a special Information Bulletin No. 361 in September 2013.

Mercury poisoning

Mercury is a hazardous substance - it is defined as a substance of the first hazard class, that is, extremely dangerous Chemical substance. The maximum permissible level of average daily content of mercury vapor in residential premises is considered to be 0.0003 mg/m³. At high concentrations in the air, mercury can penetrate the body even through intact skin.

It is very important to understand that scattered and “scattered” mercury is extremely dangerous, since it evaporates and constantly poisons the body.

Unfortunately, mercury poisoning can begin completely asymptomatically or resemble, for example, chronic fatigue: a person becomes irritable, complains of constant nausea and quite sharply loses weight for no apparent reason.

However, even with such mild symptoms, the kidneys and central nervous system suffer, which are very sensitive to mercury vapor poisoning.

Among other things (and this is very important), chronic mercury vapor poisoning can make itself felt through long time, which can be measured not even in months, but in years. That is why mercury vapor poisoning is very dangerous, and rooms where mercury is spilled need careful demercurization.

Attention! Chronic poisoning can make itself felt even several years after stopping contact with mercury.

Primary symptoms of mercury poisoning

The primary symptoms of mercury poisoning are clearly neurological in nature, but they can easily be mistaken for symptoms of overwork, an onset of a cold, or the harmful effects of some stressful situation.

1. Mercury poisoning causes very noticeable and persistent fatigue.
2. At the same time, severe weakness is felt.
3. When poisoned by mercury vapor, a person constantly wants to sleep, that is, drowsiness increases, which is often attributed to fatigue or the onset of a viral or cold.
4. Inhalation of mercury vapor can cause headache, which is very similar to a migraine.
5. General weakness and headache can trigger dizziness, but dizziness can also appear on its own.
6. Mercury vapor poisoning provokes changes in mood and emotional instability: apathy and depression are possible, which are replaced by irritability.
7. When poisoned by mercury vapor, a person complains of a significant decrease in concentration and significant memory impairment.

In severe cases of mercury vapor poisoning, symptoms worsen.

1. Fingers begin to tremble slightly.
2. Some time later, the lips and eyelids begin to tremble, and after some time the whole body begins to tremble (the so-called “mercury tremor” develops).
3. Mercury vapor poisoning provokes a deterioration in the sense of smell (perception of smells) and touch (the ability to feel something through touch).
4. As a result of mercury poisoning, blood pressure decreases.
5. One of the symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning is increased urination.
6. Mercury vapor poisoning causes increased sweating.
7. One of the symptoms of mercury poisoning in women is. If a woman is pregnant, the extremely harmful effects of mercury extend to the fetus.
8. Chronic mercury poisoning causes an increased susceptibility to the disease.
9. Chronic mercury poisoning causes severe damage and disease to the liver and gallbladder.
10. With chronic mercury vapor poisoning, blood pressure can become elevated up to the level.
11. One of the significant consequences of mercury vapor poisoning is vascular atherosclerosis.

Attention! Women and children are most sensitive to mercury poisoning.

Hidden danger

Mercury and its effects on humans are very dangerous even at seemingly negligible exposures. Such very slow poisoning with minute amounts of mercury is called micromercurialism and can develop after five or ten years of such minimal exposure.

Eliminate the possibility negative impact mercury vapor should never be present, because the cause of micromercurialism can even be the diffusion of a minimal amount of mercury vapor from neighboring rooms or a mercury thermometer broken even ten years ago if the mercury was not removed properly.

Attention! Most often, mercury enters the body by inhaling mercury vapor, which does not have any odor or any other signs that can be detected independently without special tests and analyses.

Preventive measures to prevent mercury poisoning at home

The most common source of mercury vapor poisoning in everyday life is mercury thermometers that have broken and the mercury from which has scattered.

The most important way of prevention is to replace mercury thermometers with ones that do not contain mercury.

If a mercury thermometer breaks and the mercury scatters, you should be careful to ensure that small children do not swallow the beautiful silver balls. If a child swallows a ball of mercury, you should immediately seek medical attention. medical care. You can give your child milk to drink and induce vomiting on your own, but it is better to get precise recommendations from a medical service.

Independent demercurization of the premises

You can demercurize the premises yourself only in cases where the amount of spilled mercury is very small.

1. Remove all people, especially children, and pets from the premises.
2. Ensure flow into the room maximum quantity fresh air, why open all the windows.
3. Before you start independent work After demercurization, protect the respiratory tract - wear a respirator or at least a gauze bandage. Hands must be protected with rubber gloves.
4. Carefully collect the thermometer fragments in a plastic bag. Tie the bag tightly. How to properly throw away a broken mercury thermometer.
5. Before starting work, provide very good lighting - under bright lighting the mercury balls will be more visible because they shine.
6. The collected mercury should be placed in a hermetically sealed container; in extreme cases, it can be a jar of cold water.
7. You can try to collect mercury with duct tape; pieces of wire: a pipette, after which all these items must be disposed of.
8. After collecting mercury, you must not enter the room for at least 24 hours if you are sure that all the scattered mercury has been collected.
9. After work on demercurization of the room, you must thoroughly rinse your mouth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
10. After demercurization of the premises, you should take several tablets of activated carbon.
11. It is necessary to treat the area where the mercury was spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) or an alcohol solution of 5% iodine.
12. The floor must be treated just as thoroughly the next day.
13. Throwing collected mercury into a garbage chute or garbage container is strictly prohibited.
14. Advice on the correct and safe disposal of mercury can be obtained from the Ministry of Emergency Situations (Ministry of Emergency Situations).

When demercurizing a premises independently, it is strictly prohibited:

1. Use a broom, since the rods of the broom break the mercury balls into even smaller ones. Thus, instead of cleaning, you can get a large number of very small balls of mercury, which will be much more difficult to remove.
2. Use a vacuum cleaner to collect mercury. Firstly, the vacuum cleaner heats up during operation, which provokes increased evaporation of mercury. Secondly, the mercury will contaminate the inside of the vacuum cleaner, so the vacuum cleaner will be dangerous and will have to be disposed of.
3. Wash clothes that have been demercurized in a washing machine, since in this case the washing machine will also become a source of danger. Hand washing is also prohibited. All items that have been demercurized must be thrown away.

If a significant amount of mercury is spilled in a room (and this also happens), then demercurization includes a complete replacement of plaster in the entire room, replacement of the floor (up to the ceilings between floors), replacement of windows and doors. However, in this case, primary demercurization and collection of spilled mercury must be carried out by special services.

Sometimes a room in which mercury is spilled is considered unsuitable for further use.

Attention! Any medical measures and any treatment for mercury poisoning should be prescribed only by a doctor after a very thorough diagnosis and all necessary studies.

Every family uses devices that contain mercury: thermometers, fluorescent or mercury lamps. Given the weak structure, these household items can easily break at the most inopportune moment, the consequences of which are impossible to predict.

Today, mercury vapor poisoning occurs with sufficient frequency, despite the fact that manufacturers are trying to improve such accessories.

To avoid such a situation, you should follow some precautions. You can protect your family from poisoning by using a mercury antidote, which must be used correctly and on time.

Before using antidotes to eliminate signs of poisoning, you should make sure whether it actually happened and what caused it.

Signs of mercury vapor poisoning have characteristic manifestations of heavy metal poisoning.

Let's look at the most obvious of them:

• If mercury gets on the skin or mucous membrane of the eyes, the symptoms are local. The eyes become inflamed, which causes conjunctivitis, nasopharyngolaryngitis, itching and skin rashes. In this case, the patient’s condition worsens until the temperature rises to 40-41 C.
• Mercury vapor affects the upper respiratory tract. A cough, bronchitis, and often an asthmatic attack appear.
• If mercury enters directly into the body, patients complain of a metallic taste in the mouth, headache, and drowsiness.
• Difficulty swallowing, contractions, acute pain in the abdomen, bloating.
• Repeated vomiting with blood.
• Insomnia, irritability, salivation.

This symptomatology is observed due to severe intoxication not only with mercury, but also with other heavy metals. To make sure of mercury poisoning, it is worth inspecting the location of the victim.

Nearby you can find:

• Broken items household use: thermometer or mercury lamp;
• A large amount of seafood, especially if it is shellfish;
• If there are landfills or garbage cans in the immediate area where batteries, pressure gauges, and incandescent lamps can be thrown away.

First aid involves the use of antidotes, the action of which is aimed at binding and eliminating the negative effects of the metal.

IMPORTANT!!! In the case when you have accurately established the cause of poisoning and applied the antidote in time, this does not mean that there is no need for hospitalization. In any case, you need to seek help from a hospital to conduct a full diagnosis of the body.

Many different drugs and improvised means are used to neutralize mercury. The most famous of them are:

Unithiol. The drug instantly binds metal compounds when interacting with it. It is administered intravenously and, due to its speed of action, has a beneficial effect after just a few minutes. For a conscious victim, the drug can be administered orally.

Proteins, amino acids and other antidotes

From available means, you can use the following as neutralizing agents:

• Raw chicken egg white;
• Methionine is an amino acid found in goat milk;
• Activated carbon.

Due to their availability, these substances can provide timely assistance in case of poisoning while the patient is taken to the hospital. Each of the components can be taken orally on its own for any type of poisoning. Their use is recommended in extreme cases, when there are no other stronger drugs at hand.

Magnesium sulfate- another medicinal substance available in the medicine cabinet of those suffering from high blood pressure blood pressure. However, its use should be supervised by healthcare professionals.

Hardly available antidotes

Strizhevsky's antidote. It is unlikely that you will be able to find this drug in the average person’s medicine cabinet, but it is an excellent antidote to mercury. It is used intravenously in a dosage of 100 ml of the substance at a time, which may vary depending on the amount of the toxic substance ingested.

Thetacine-calcium and magnesium. These medications are not taken independently, only on the recommendation, prescription and supervision of doctors. It is administered intravenously along with saline or glucose. It is prohibited to experiment with the technique at home.

Sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate. It has an excellent neutralizing effect along with previous drugs. Prescribed for children. Prescribed with extreme caution for pregnant women and during lactation.

If your first aid kit contains at least a few of the above drugs that do not require strict medical supervision, then at the first stage of assistance you can easily cope on your own before the ambulance arrives.

Mercury is a heavy metal. Its compounds in the form of salts and oxides are used in production; it is part of some paints and disinfectants. Moreover, the salts of this metal are more toxic than the oxides.

At home, mercury can be encountered when thermometers and energy-saving light bulbs are damaged. Metal vapor poisoning from one broken light bulb is unlikely. If light bulbs are damaged periodically, then chronic poisoning is quite possible. At school, in physics and chemistry lessons, reactions with mercury are carried out, so there are also cases of poisoning when safety precautions are violated when working with chemicals.

Entry routes for mercury

Mercury vapor poisoning can occur through the skin. In this case, intoxication develops slowly.

A more dangerous situation occurs when metal particles get on the mucous membranes or are swallowed. In this case, the liver experiences a toxic shock.

The most severe form of poisoning occurs after inhaling vapors or directly entering the bloodstream, since the liver is practically not involved in their neutralization.

Toxic dose of mercury

Most often, a person comes into contact with mercury when breaking a thermometer. Is it possible to get poisoned when a thermometer breaks?

“The thermometer contains about two grams of mercury. If half of this dose enters the human body, it is fatal.

Much depends on the age, gender, body weight of the person in contact with the dangerous poison. The size of the room in which the mercury was released is also important.

The listed factors influence the severity of poisoning. The probability of mercury poisoning itself from a thermometer, if measures are not taken, is close to 100%, since its average toxic dose is only 0.4 mg.

What to do if the thermometer breaks? This will be discussed below.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

Poisoning can occur acutely, for example, when inhaling vapors, subacutely and chronically, when a small amount of mercury enters the body over a long period of time.

An acute course is rare and may occur in industrial accidents where mercury is used, and in other similar cases. More often there is chronic mercury poisoning from a thermometer, the symptoms of which develop gradually.

Common symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning will be:

It is important to understand that in each case the set of symptoms is individual and depends on many factors. Classic manifestations of poisoning are one thing, but cases in practice are completely different.

How to determine mercury poisoning? Symptoms are mostly nonspecific and occur with poisoning by other heavy metals, as well as with inflammatory diseases of various organs, which also suffer from mercury intoxication. Clear evidence is provided by a blood test for the concentration of a toxic substance, which is detected in case of poisoning from 180 mcg/l and above.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning during pregnancy

Mercury poisoning during pregnancy is rare, but does occur.

The symptoms will be the same as in non-pregnant women. Intoxication is dangerous due to the threat of fetal death.

What to do if you have mercury poisoning

What to do if the thermometer breaks

Compliance with safety precautions when working with mercury at work, as well as undergoing regular medical examinations for timely detection of heavy metal intoxication reduces the risk of getting sick. At home, preventive measures include replacing all mercury thermometers with electronic ones and being more careful with energy-saving lamps.

What to do if the thermometer breaks?

1. Treat this responsibly and without panic.
2. Get everyone out of the room.
3. Close the door and open the windows.
4. Children under 18 years of age, pregnant women and people with serious chronic diseases should not collect mercury.
5. It is necessary to isolate mercury using rubber gloves in a sealed glass container. To protect yourself from inhaling toxic fumes, wear a cotton-gauze or medical mask. Feet must have shoe covers.
6. Collect mercury with sheets of paper and using adhesive tape - gluing small balls with the sticky surface of the tape.
7. Place everything that has had contact with mercury in a plastic bag.
8. Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations or ask them for the number where to go to clean the room and dispose of the collected metal.

The most favorable outcome is for acute poisoning of mild severity. The greatest damage to organs occurs with prolonged intoxication. In this case, the consequences of mercury poisoning from a thermometer will be the formation of severe chronic diseases of the affected organs, not to mention death. Timely seeking medical help will reduce these consequences to a minimum.

Mercury. What do we know about her? From school courses, most of us know that it is a heavy metal that has liquid form... and one of the most toxic substances on the planet: mercury poisoning is very serious!

Mercury evaporates easily at room temperature. Its vapors settle on the surface of rooms and can penetrate various fabrics, paper, and wood. Mercury vapor poisoning has a number of serious consequences and threats to human health. Where can you find this dangerous substance? What to do in case of mercury poisoning? What medications are effective? We will talk about this and much more in this article.

What determines the severity of poisoning?

• dose of mercury;
• type of mercury (organic, inorganic);
• age of the victim;
• duration of exposure;
• routes of penetration of poison into the body (skin contact, inhalation, ingestion).

Where can I look for you, Mercury?

In ancient times, alchemists called mercury "Mercury", "silver water" or "quick silver". They tried to extract gold from mercury by adding sulfur and arsenic to it. History is silent about how long the alchemists lived after their experiments.

Nowadays, a temperature thermometer is the most famous “mercury” item, and mercury poisoning in children most often occurs precisely because of the “fault” of an ordinary mercury thermometer!

Mercury poisoning: types and causes

Poisoning with mercury compounds is divided into acute and chronic. Acute cases are usually encountered due to simple carelessness, for example, breaking a thermometer in the house. Chronic mercury poisoning is more common due to violation of safety regulations, lack of ventilation and malfunction of production equipment.

List of industries National economy, in which inorganic and organic mercury compounds are used, is quite solid:

• industry;
• Agriculture;
• metallurgy;
• pharmacy;
• medicine.

In addition, cases of suicide or deliberate poisoning are rare, but still occur.

If safety precautions are violated at work, occupational mercury poisoning can occur.

Oceanologists are sounding the alarm: the waters of the seas and oceans are polluted with various chemicals, including mercury compounds. Consumption of seafood caught in contaminated waters can cause acute food mercury poisoning.

By the way...

There is also a “mercury” disease - Minamata. The disease owes its name to Japan. In the fifties of the last century, one of the industrial plants poured production waste directly into Minamata Bay. One of these substances turned out to be methylmercury. For many years, no one knew about the contamination of fish with mercury and did not connect the strange illness of local residents with severe poisoning. Patients complained of numbness in their arms and legs, deterioration in swallowing, vision and hearing, and could not move. Many of the sick died. Minamata disease is a classic example of acute mercury poisoning.

Mercury vapor enters the body through the respiratory system, skin and digestive organs. This insidious metal is released through the large intestine, kidneys, salivary glands, with breast milk. Mercury compounds can accumulate in the body. “Mercury depots” are found in the spleen, lungs, bones, liver and kidneys. Under influence unfavorable factors mercury enters the blood in small parts, exacerbating a person’s symptoms.

Even minimal amounts of mercury can pose a serious threat to fetal development. When the mother is poisoned, the child experiences developmental delay, deafness, epilepsy, speech impairment, blindness and seizures.

Good to know! Enterosgel in the fight against poisoning

Enterosgel has a porous structure. Substances of medium molecular weight bind on its surface: mercury salts, bacterial toxins, and many molecules toxic to the body. The drug is recommended by doctors for the treatment of poisoning with mercury compounds.

The first signs of mercury poisoning become apparent after a couple of hours.

Both children and adults develop:

• dry cough;
• vomit;
• salivation;
• abdominal pain;
• chills;
• dyspnea;
• headache.

And here’s what the symptoms of mercury poisoning look like when the thermometer is broken:

• bleeding from the gums;
• sweating;
• increased urination;
• the appearance of blood impurities in the stool;
• blurred vision;
• chest pain.

How does mercury poisoning manifest itself during chronic intoxication with “silver water”? Chronic intoxication with small doses of “mercury” is called mercurialism.

Signs of mercury vapor poisoning include:

• fatigue;
• insomnia;
• depression;
• anxiety and other neurological disorders;
• develops.

One cruel Chinese emperor had a curious hobby - organizing boat rides on a lake filled with pure mercury. Scientists suspect that his characteristic cruelty, bordering on madness, was precisely a consequence of mercury vapor poisoning.

The main manifestations of chronic mercury poisoning:

• skin rashes;
• photophobia;
• profuse sweating;
• swelling of the limbs;
• impaired tactile sensitivity of the skin;
• change in taste;
• hair loss;
• interruptions in heart function;
• frequent fainting.

By the way...

Several centuries ago, many diseases, including syphilis, were treated with “mercury” injections and mercury vapor. It was from chronic poisoning with mercury drugs that Mozart died while trying to recover from this infectious disease.

Consequences of mercury poisoning:

• deterioration of the functioning of the endocrine glands and liver, brain, and hematopoietic organs.
• decreased concentration;
• memory impairment;
• with excitement - trembling of the eyelids, lips and fingers.

Kidney symptoms of mercury poisoning include swelling and increased blood pressure.

It is also possible allergic reaction to mercury - as a rule, it manifests itself as keratinization of the skin of the face, soles, palms, measles-like rashes and the formation of ulcers on the skin.

Do you know?

British scientists claim that US President Abraham Lincoln's fits of rage were associated with taking an antidepressant containing high doses of mercury.

First aid for mercury poisoning

The victim must be removed from the room contaminated with vapors, called an ambulance and given Enterosgel sorbent. Products with enveloping properties are also suitable - jelly, raw egg, milk.

What to do if you break a thermometer in your apartment?

First of all, put aside your angry tirades, start cleaning and collect mercury!

First of all, you should remove everyone from the “dangerous” room and properly ventilate the room. The door should be tightly closed to prevent toxic fumes from entering other rooms. The gap between the floor and the door should be covered with a damp towel.

Take care of your health: protect your nose and mouth with a cotton-gauze bandage or regular thick cloth and wear rubber gloves. When cleaning, do not use a broom or vacuum cleaner - mercury “droplets” must be collected manually. By the way, the most convenient way to do this is with a plaster or pieces of paper folded into an envelope. The collected mercury must be placed in a glass jar with a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), tightly closing the jar with a lid, and then handed over to the sanitary and epidemiological station.

It is prohibited to throw collected mercury into the trash or pour it down the drain!

When removing traces of the “mercury cataclysm”, monitor the condition of family members. When the first ones appear, immediately call an ambulance.

Mercury poisoning from a thermometer. Symptoms

It is worth saying right away that with timely cleansing of the room from heavy metal, intoxication can be avoided. If the child does not admit to what he has done, then the nervous system will react to poisoning with general weakness, headache and lethargy. In severe acute mercury poisoning from a thermometer - symptoms of depression of consciousness, coma.

Signs of mercury poisoning with a broken thermometer from the digestive system:

• vomit;
• loose stools;
• intense abdominal pain;
• profuse salivation.

In addition, symptoms of damage to the oral mucosa will indicate mercury poisoning - over time, a dark coating forms on the gums.

By the way, lead poisoning also changes the gum lining. A “lead border” appears - a dark stripe near the front teeth. Chronic lead poisoning causes the “lead triad”: lead colic, lead border and lead coloring (sallow complexion with jaundice). But, let's return to the symptoms and consequences of mercury intoxication.

By inhaling mercury vapor from a thermometer, you can “get” the development of bronchitis or pneumonia, accompanied by a dry cough.

At high concentrations of mercury vapor from the thermometer, pulmonary edema or hemoptysis occurs.

In case of poisoning organic compounds containing mercury, neurological disorders, respiratory and digestive disorders, and dermatitis occur more often. These substances are very toxic: for example, there is a known case when a laboratory technician accidentally spilled dimethylmercury on his gloves, which ultimately caused visual impairment, speech, gait and death.

How to diagnose mercury salt poisoning

Doctors perform tests to detect mercury in urine, hair, and blood. In this case, the level of toxic metal may not increase immediately, but after some time, sometimes even several weeks after the moment of contact.

Mercury intoxication. Treatment

Doctors rely more on symptoms, and treatment is prescribed immediately after determining the source of poisoning. After hospitalization, the victim is observed by doctors in the intensive care unit, a nephrologist and a toxicologist. In case of mercury vapor poisoning, complex treatment is carried out with complexons, sorbents, and penicillamine.

Prevention of mercury poisoning

Observe safety precautions when using mercury devices! If possible, measure your body temperature with an electronic thermometer and replace fluorescent lighting fixtures with modern LED lamps (by the way, the latter will help you save a lot on electricity!)

Make an effort to keep the thermometer and first aid kit out of reach of the child. Explain to your child that a thermometer is not a toy, but if it happens that the thermometer is broken, this fact cannot be hidden: you need to immediately inform your parents about it!

If you are forced to come into contact with mercury due to your profession, use personal protective equipment and systematically cleanse your body with Enterosgel.

Mercury (lat. Hydrargyrum, Hg)- a metal that at room temperature is a heavy liquid of a silvery-white color, the vapors of which are extremely poisonous.

Most used in modern world mercury was found in mercury thermometers (liquid state), fluorescent lamps (in the form of vapor), and some electrical appliances (switches, rectifiers). Previously, until the 1970s, it was actively used as part of various medical ointments “Mercuric Chloride”, “Mercuric Oxide”, “Mercuzal” and others, but due to side effects, these drugs were no longer produced. Mercury preparations were used for treatment, volvulus, and in dentistry for installing fillings. In the Middle Ages, many alchemists believed that mercury was one of the main components of various metals, including gold. This metal was used to make mirrors, felt for hats, and to prepare poison. The most popular mercury compounds are cinnabar, sublimate, and calomel.

Today, they are trying to use less and less mercury, however, its availability still causes a considerable number of problems for some people. The most popular is a broken mercury thermometer (thermometer). Today we will look at what the signs, symptoms and what to do if you are poisoned by mercury.

What is mercury poisoning?

Mercury poisoning — pathological condition the body, caused by excessive intake of mercury vapors or compounds.

Any concentration of mercury vapor in the air is considered hazardous to health, however, from 0.25 mg/m³ symptoms of problems develop mainly with respiratory system, at higher concentrations, this chemical begins to affect almost all organs and systems. It has also been established that an increased concentration of mercury in the body is considered to be more than 35 ng/ml in the blood and more than 150 μg/l in the urine.

The main symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning are inflammation respiratory tract, which can lead to respiratory failure, coughing attacks, loss of strength, increased body temperature up to 40 ° C.

Doctors have found that women and children are more prone to mercury poisoning.

How does mercury poisoning occur?

The source of poisoning can be both inorganic (elemental mercury or mercury salts) and organic forms of mercury (methylated mercury). Elemental mercury is used in thermometers, sphygmomanometers, and filling materials. At room temperature and contact with oxygen, elemental mercury quickly oxidizes to its divalent form. Mercury salts are used in the production of plastics, in medicines (Calomel), and food products. Organic mercury is used in some paints, cosmetics, medicines, and foods. Mercury salts can also be methylated, causing poisoning with this metal environment and living organisms, such as fish. In the future, consuming such fish, a person becomes poisoned.

Elemental mercury usually settles in the body as part of vapor. The vapors, along with the air, enter and settle primarily in the lungs, after which, almost the entire composition, through the alveoli, the mercury enters circulatory system and along with the blood flow it spreads throughout the body. The absorption of elemental mercury by the digestive organs is small, and even in this case, quickly oxidizing into a divalent form, it quickly binds to the sulfhydryl groups of proteins. Elimination from the body occurs primarily through urine and feces, with a small percentage exiting back through the lungs. The half-life of elemental mercury from the body is about 60 days.

Inorganic compounds of mercury salts, entering the body orally, primarily harm the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, corroding their mucous membrane, from where the absorption and distribution of the poison occurs throughout the body. Mercury salts settle mainly in the kidneys, and in less significant quantities - in the liver, intestines, spleen, lungs, bone marrow, skin and blood. Excretion from the body occurs in urine and feces. The half-life is approximately 40 days.

Organic (methylated) mercury compounds that enter the body orally are usually readily absorbed from the intestines and through the skin. Possessing a high coefficient of fat solubility, methylated mercury can easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the placenta and even enter breast milk. By binding to hemoglobin, the poison easily spreads throughout the body. The main sedimentation occurs in the kidneys, circulatory and central nervous system. Excretion from the body occurs through urine. The half-life is about 70 days.

Mercury poisoning - ICD

ICD-10: T56.1;
ICD-9: 985.0.

Mercury poisoning - symptoms

The main symptoms of mercury poisoning can be observed when its concentration in the body is over 500 ng/ml in the blood and over 600 μg/l in the urine.

Signs of acute poisoning by mercury vapor or its salts:

• Seizures, suffocation, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract;
• Tremor, increased excitability, ;
• Pain when swallowing, severe chest pain, shortness of breath, development of ;
• Metallic taste in oral cavity, increased salivation;
• The appearance of bleeding gums;
• , strong ;
• Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract - loss of appetite (sometimes with blood), tenesmus (sometimes with blood);
• Necrosis of the intestinal mucosa, kidneys, development of nephrotic syndrome;
• Rapid fluid loss.

Signs of chronic mercury poisoning:

Mercurialism– the appearance and development of a number of signs characteristic of chronic mercury poisoning. The signs of mercurialism are:

• General malaise, increased fatigue, apathy;
• Excessive salivation;
• Gastrointestinal disorders – nausea, lack of appetite, vomiting;
• Frequent urge to urinate;
• Oral diseases – gingivitis, tooth loss;
• Decreased sense of smell, taste, skin sensitivity;
• Rapid weight loss, anorexia;
• A characteristic trembling of the hands when they move, then the legs begin to tremble, then the whole body;
• Neurological disorders accompanied by headaches, dizziness, timidity, increased excitability, irritability, drowsiness or memory loss, decreased mental abilities;
• Photophobia;
• The appearance of erythema, a generalized rash on the skin, the development of hypertrichosis and hyperkeratosis of the skin;
• Increased sweating;
• Swelling of the hands and feet;
• Acrodynia (pink disease).

Micromercurialism is the appearance and development of certain symptoms when the body is exposed to small doses of mercury for 5-10 years.

Complications of mercury poisoning

• Delirium;
• Respiratory failure;
• Coma;
• Paralysis;
• Death.

Consequences of mercury poisoning

The consequences of mercury poisoning can be:

• Mercury poisoning during pregnancy can lead to the development of atrophy of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum, and cerebral palsy in the infant;
• Postnatal mercury poisoning can lead to headaches, visual, auditory and speech disturbances, memory loss, incoordination, paralysis, paresthesia, erethism, stupor, coma and death. Sometimes, some of these symptoms accompany a person throughout his life.

Causes of mercury poisoning

Let's consider the sources of mercury poisoning:

• A mercury thermometer (thermometer) contains about 2 g of mercury;
• Mercury-zinc galvanic cells (batteries);
• Energy-saving fluorescent gas-discharge lamps contain from 1 to 70 mg of mercury;
• Mercury lamps (DRL, DRSh);
• Daguerreotype;
• Some medications (thiomersal-based preservatives), Calomel, Sublime, Mercuzal;
• Dental fillings with amalgam;
• Sea shellfish, fish (metal content depends on the ecological situation of the place where they lived);
• The process of releasing mercury into the air during the decomposition of cinnabar and the combustion of large industrial quantities of gas and coal.
• Also, mercury vapor may be present in places of its natural origin. Sometimes children manage to find balls of this metal with toxic fumes in abandoned industrial plants and factories.

How to check for mercury vapor?

To determine the presence of mercury, special devices are usually used - “AGP-01”, “Mercury”, “RA-915+”, “EGRA-01”, Tekran analyzers.

What to do in case of mercury poisoning?

All treatment for mercury poisoning is aimed at binding and accelerating the removal of this metal from the body.

First aid for mercury poisoning

In case of acute mercury poisoning it is necessary:

• Remove the victim from the poisoning site;
• Give him 2 glasses of water to drink, preferably with the addition of potassium permanganate (weak solution);
• Induce vomiting;
• Rinse your mouth and throat with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• Drink a couple of glasses of water;
• A universal antidote against heavy metal poisoning is Unithiol;
• Also prescribed: gastric lavage, taking a laxative.

Important! Activated carbon is inactive against heavy metals, so its use is not effective!

Treatment of mercury poisoning

After first aid, the following therapy is prescribed for the treatment of acute mercury poisoning:

In case of poisoning with inorganic mercury compounds, it is advisable to use complexing agents with active dithiol groups - “Allithiamin”, “Dimercaprol”, “D-penicillamine”, “Methionine”, “Penicillamine”, “Succimer” (dimercaptosuccinic acid), “Taurine”, “Unithiol” "

Important! Concomitant use of the above drugs is contraindicated.

Drug dosages:

• "Dimercaprol" - fractional intramuscular administration at a dose of 24 mg/kg/day, for 5 days, after which a 5-7 day break is taken, and the course is repeated;
• "Penicillamine" - fractional administration, 2-3 times, at a dosage of 30 mg/kg per day.

At renal failure Additionally, peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis may be prescribed.

To treat chronic mercury poisoning, the following therapy is prescribed:

The use of the following drugs - “N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine”, “D-penicillamine”, “Penicillamine”.

Symptomatic therapy is aimed at suppressing the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning and improving the patient’s condition.

Prevention of mercury poisoning

Prevention of mercury poisoning includes compliance with the following safety measures:

• If you work at a mercury plant, it is recommended to rinse your mouth daily with a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) or potassium chlorate KClO3;
• If possible, when working with mercury, change jobs;
• Keep the mercury thermometer away from children;
• Do not leave a child with a mercury thermometer unattended;
• Replace the mercury thermometer with analogues, for example, an electronic one;
• Avoid using mercury energy-saving lamps, for example, replace them with LED lamps, which are not only more economical, but also safer if they break/break;
• Leave the choice of medications to the discretion of doctors;
• Avoid eating sea shellfish, which primarily perform the role of purifying water from various debris, incl. heavy metals, if present.

Mercury poisoning – doctor

• Traumatologist
• Epidemiologist

What to do in case of mercury poisoning - video