How to collect mercury from the floor

At present, practically every home medicine cabinet has one or several medical thermometers (both mercury and electronic). Unfortunately, with mercury thermometers quite often there are various troubles, for example, they can break almost from any blow, even the easiest, accidentally slip out of hands, and also fall off the bedside table or table. It should be noted that no one is immune from such things, that's why not only all adults, but also children need to know about the rules of mercury collection, as well as the utilization of the broken thermometer. What if the thermometer crashed?
In case of such a situation, first of all, it is necessary to remove children and all domestic animals from the premises, and to provide fresh air by opening a window, balcony or window. Care must be taken to ensure that during the collection of mercury, other family members or pets do not enter the room.

Several items are needed for the correct collection of this harmful substance, namely: rubber gloves, a metal can with a tight-fitting lid, a scoop, paper, a brush and a medical pear.

Prepare all these items, you need to wear rubber gloves. Next, you need to carefully collect and drop large fragments of a broken thermometer into the jar, and then, with the help of a brush and a shovel, collect the remaining fragments of glass and large mercury drops from the floor. According to some data, smaller drops are best collected with a brush on paper, and only then gently lower them into a metal jar.

When collecting mercury from the floor, very carefully check all the cracks in the floor covering, as well as furniture and all other objects located close to the place where the thermometer falls. To collect mercury drops found in hard-to-reach places, you should use a medical pear with a thin tip. After retraction, they must also be lowered into the jar. After collecting all the mercury, it is necessary to tightly close the jar and conduct a wet cleaning of the premises using a weak solution of potassium permanganate or soda with soap.

It should be noted that to collect mercury from a parquet or other even floor covering, for example, a laminate, is quite simple. However, when it hits a pile carpet, there are significant difficulties. As a rule, in such cases, many people collect large mercury drops, and after that they vacuum the carpet or knock it out on the street. However, experts do not recommend this, since a considerable part of mercury vapor penetrates into the lungs of a person who is engaged in cleaning. In this case, the best option is to contact special services.

After collecting this substance, the closed jar is not recommended to be thrown into a container or a chute, as this damages not only the environment, but also the health of other people. This bank must be handed over to the organization dealing with the disposal of this substance, the address of which can be found in the department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Why is mercury dangerous?
Mercury is a particularly dangerous substance evaporating at any temperature above zero. Consequently, the higher the air temperature in the room, the more intense the evaporation process, respectively, the concentration of harmful vapors increases.

According to some reports, serious poisoning with mercury vapor arises after being in an enclosed space for 2-2.5 hours. Its symptoms include sore throat and stomach pain, weakness, nausea, increased salivation or the appearance of metallic taste in the mouth. At occurrence of even one of them it is necessary to address urgently to the doctor.