Mercury vapor poisoning. Symptoms, signs, treatment, first aid, consequences

Mercury vapor poisoning is possible not only at work. A toxic dose of the substance can be obtained at home. It's important to know symptoms of toxic damageto provide the victim with assistance and go to the hospital in a timely manner. In the absence of proper therapy, the risk of complications increases. An infectious disease specialist and an epidemiologist are engaged in diagnostics and treatment.

Danger of mercury to humans

Any amount of a chemical element can threaten human health. Indicators> 0.25 mg / m³ provoke disruptions in the functioning of the respiratory system. An increased amount of mercury negatively affects all internal organs and systems of the human body.

What is mercury poisoning?

Intoxication with mercury vapor is a pathological condition when the human body is oversaturated with this chemical element. More often, poisoning is diagnosed in children and women.

The first sign of mercury damage to the body is inflammation of the respiratory tract. In the absence of emergency care, respiratory failure develops. A person has coughing fits, the victim complains of weakness in the body, and the body temperature rises.

Toxic, lethal dose of Hg

The toxic and lethal dosage of mercury for the human body depends on numerous factors. What matters is the age of the victim, the way the chemical element enters the body, the duration of its exposure.

There are standard parameters for the lethal dosage of mercury for the human body:

Chemical compound form	Lethal dose
For an adult (mg / kg)	For a child (mg / kg)
Inorganic compounds	10-42 10-60 2500 100-3000
Organic compounds
Couples
Oral damage to the body

In each case, everything is individual, therefore, a doctor's help and careful diagnostics are needed to determine the level of intoxication.

Poisoning reasons

The main reason for the intoxication of the body is the ingress of mercury into the human body.

This happens in the following ways:

Name	Description
Domestic	Poisoning occurs as a result of damage to a thermometer, tonometer or energy-saving lamp. All these devices contain a chemical compound in minimal doses, but it is enough to damage the body.
Medical	Mercury used to be a part of many drugs. Today it is added to certain vaccines, dental fillings, and topical products.
Food	Marine life in dirty water accumulates a large amount of mercury (shellfish, fish). Despite the heat treatment, the likelihood of poisoning the body is high.

Mercury is used by agricultural workers and in manufacturing plants, which can also lead to intoxication of the body if certain safety rules are not followed.

Signs of mercury intoxication

The first clinical manifestations of intoxication appear quickly, after 8-24 hours.

Name	Symptoms
Acute, rapidly developing mercury intoxication	general weakness in the body; appetite worsens; headache; a specific taste is felt in the mouth; salivation increases; there is a pain syndrome when swallowing; gums swell, in some situations bleeding appears; a person is worried about nausea and vomiting; the stool is disturbed (diarrhea); the victim complains of severe pain in the abdomen; body temperature rises sharply; vomit and feces contain impurities of blood, mucus; severe shortness of breath appears, the work of the respiratory system is disrupted; a person is tormented by a strong cough, accompanied by the secretion of mucus; diagnostics will show the presence of mercury particles in the urine; the victim is shivering.
Slow, chronic mercury intoxication	the person gets tired quickly; drowsiness is present; the head is very dizzy; hair fall out; the victim is worried about the migraine; depression develops; sleep disturbances; memory, attention worsens; strong excitement accompanied by tremors of the legs and arms; emotional disorders are observed (a person is depressed, shy, insecure, easily irritated); the urge to urinate and bowel movements become more frequent; the sense of smell is disturbed; the functioning of the cardiovascular system is disrupted; blood pressure drops.
Micromercurialism	a person's perception of surrounding odors changes; lethargy, fatigue appears; efficiency decreases; memory and attention deteriorate; a small tremor appears.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning occur equally in children and adults. However, it should be understood that pathological processes in the child's body develop faster and faster. In women, with mercury poisoning, the menstrual cycle is disrupted.

Mercury Poisoning Symptoms

After a large amount of mercury enters the human body, the following symptoms appear:

Name	Description
Dyspeptic disorders	The person is sick, he is tormented by spasmodic painful sensations in the epigastric region. Vomiting is accompanied by blood impurities and a metallic taste in the mouth. An inflammatory process develops in the gastrointestinal tract.
Respiratory system diseases	The cough is accompanied by severe shortness of breath, pain in the chest area. Breathing is difficult and the lungs become inflamed.
Asthenic syndrome	The victim is lethargic, sleepy, complains of headache. Hands and feet tremble. A retarded state is observed. In some situations, a person loses consciousness. The body temperature rises, chills occur.
Allergic reaction	External reactions in some situations are accompanied by autoimmune processes.
Problems with the work of internal organs	There are signs of kidney and liver intoxication (partial anuria, jaundice).

In the absence of first aid and qualified therapy, the symptoms of intoxication progress, the person's condition worsens. Generalized seizures occur and the likelihood of death is high.

Complications of mercury poisoning, the consequences of intoxication

Mercury vapor poisoning (symptoms require prompt medical attention) entails serious consequences against the background of prolonged damage to the body:

• coordination and fine motor skills suffer;
• the work of the kidneys, liver is disrupted;
• respiratory failure develops;
• coma comes;
• the work of the central nervous system is disrupted against the background of prolonged intoxication, which leads to the occurrence of emotional disorders in a person;
• bronchopulmonary diseases develop (obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia);
• paralysis of the limbs occurs;
• there are malfunctions in the functioning of the organs of the digestive system.

Lack of timely medical care entails the most dangerous complication - the death of a person.

What is the threat of mercury poisoning during pregnancy?

Poisoning with mercury vapor during the period of bearing a baby can negatively affect on the development of the fetus, provoking serious anomalies and the following consequences:

• the development of tuberculosis;
• damage to the liver, kidneys and gallbladder;
• increased blood pressure in the expectant mother;
• the appearance of atherosclerosis.

The defeat of the body by mercury vapors of a pregnant woman also provokes a miscarriage, a delay in the intrauterine development of a baby and even the death of a child.

How to check for mercury vapor?

It is important to diagnose mercury poisoning in the body in a timely manner and undergo the correct treatment by a doctor.

The following examination methods help to diagnose a pathological condition:

Name	Description
General analysis of blood and urine	The results will help determine the general condition of the human body. The urine contains particles of mercury. Research is recommended after 14 days. Up to this point, the results may not show the presence of a chemical element. There is a high probability of making a false diagnosis.
Inspection	A diagnostic method that helps to determine the period of infection in chronic intoxication with mercury vapor. During the study, the doctor tries to determine the rate of hair growth, since it slows down with mercury poisoning.
Special devices are used	"Mercury", "RA-915 +", Tekran analyzers. The devices allow you to determine the presence of mercury in the human body.

Additionally, the victim is injected into the body with a solution to determine the presence of mercury particles. It is important to differentiate toxic damage, since many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys are accompanied by similar clinical signs. The same applies to impaired blood circulation in the brain area.

Is it possible to get poisoned with mercury from a thermometer?

A mercury thermometer contains 10-30 mg of a chemical element. After the vessel with mercury is damaged, it evaporates and the substance enters the human body. The victim will die if he only inhales the entire volume of the chemical element that is contained in the thermometer. But this applies to Soviet-made products. It contains 50 mg of mercury.

Mercury vapor poisoning (symptoms cannot be ignored, it is important to react quickly and take action) of the chronic form is observed with a prolonged stay in the room where the thermometer crashed.

Intoxication can be prevented if the room is thoroughly ventilated after damage to the vessel. If necessary, you can call specialists who will clean the room and check it for vapors.

How to prevent Hg poisoning from a thermometer?

You can prevent mercury vapor poisoning if you remember the simple rules of prevention:

• Carefully use any items that contain metallic mercury or its compounds, store them in protective packaging.
• If the thermometer is damaged, you should quickly collect all the balls and ventilate the room.
• Correctly install and operate devices containing mercury compounds.
• People who are near mercury are advised to undergo preventive examinations by a doctor.
• A mercury thermometer should not be left unattended near children.
• People who work in factories in close contact with this element are advised to rinse the mouth with potassium permanganate every day.

A mercury thermometer can be replaced by its safer counterparts (electronic device). The same goes for lamps. It is recommended to replace mercury products with LED ones.

What should and should not be done if the thermometer has broken?

There is a certain algorithm of actions if a mercury thermometer breaks down:

1. It is necessary to immediately open the windows and ventilate the room.
2. All manipulations should be performed with rubber gloves. Take a newspaper, slightly dampen it and collect the mercury. Pick up small balls with an adhesive plaster.
3. Place the material to be disposed of in a glass jar, having previously filled it with water, and close it well.
4. The place where the mercury was must be carefully treated with potassium permanganate or bleach. For cleaning, you can also make a hot concentrated soap solution with the addition of baking soda.
5. If necessary, if there are doubts that not all of the mercury has been collected, it is necessary to call specialists - the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service (SES).

The collected mercury must not be thrown into a garbage chute, toilet bowl, or poured outside. To remove the balls, you should also not use a broom, it will only break them into small particles and complicate the disposal process.

It is not recommended to collect mercury using a vacuum cleaner. The chemical compound gets inside, settles on the elements of household appliances. Further in its operation, when the device heats up, intensive evaporation of mercury will occur, the vapors of which will enter the air. The sanitary and epidemiological service (SES) is utilized.

Moreover, you can not use things that have gotten mercury. They should also be disposed of with consumables. The room where the thermometer was broken must be thoroughly ventilated for several days, without being in it.

Why can't mercury be neutralized at home?

According to the chemical reference book, it can be understood that mercury reacts with certain substances (ferric chloride). The result is a hard and easily removable mass, but highly toxic.

Therefore, mercury should be neutralized by specialists who perform all manipulations in special protective equipment. After disposing of the balls of mercury, the place where they were should be thoroughly washed with sodium thiosulfate. The substance converts the residues of the utilized material into sodium salt and hydrogen chloride.

First aid for poisoning with mercury vapor

Mercury vapor poisoning (symptoms appear after 8 hours, it is important to go to the hospital to undergo treatment and prevent complications) in large doses requires an ambulance call.

Before the arrival of the doctor, the victim should be given first aid:

1. Take the person to fresh air. If he is unconscious, then endure.
2. Perform gastric lavage with activated charcoal (1 tablet per 1 kg of body weight) or water with the addition of egg white.
3. Strong tea or milk should not be given. It is recommended to drink clean water, the more the better.
4. When vomiting occurs, a person must be laid on his back, and his head must be turned to the side to prevent the ingress of vomit into the throat.

If mercury enters the body, it is necessary to take certain medications that contain calcium or glucose. It is important to change all clothes, put on clean ones. If the victim is conscious and can move independently, it is recommended to take a shower. After helping the person, collect all the mercury balls or call a specialist to clean the room.

What if a child swallows mercury from a thermometer?

Children learn about the world around them in various ways. They can not only swallow mercury balls, but also play with them, inhaling poisonous fumes. Parents are encouraged to calm down and talk to the child so that the baby tells how everything happened.

If the baby has swallowed mercury, you must do the following:

1. Take the child to fresh air.
2. Rinse the stomach until the doctor arrives, give him sorbents.
3. Take the child to the hospital, as he could swallow small glass elements with the balls.
4. Donate blood and urine for analysis to determine the concentration of a chemical element in the child's body.
5. Give water to the crumbs to remove toxins from the body.

You can not clean the stomach of a child, causing vomiting, if he swallowed small glass elements, you can damage the soft tissues. Swallowed mercury beads are less toxic than inhaled chemical vapors. This is because mercury is not absorbed through the intestinal wall and is excreted in the feces.

Which doctor treats Hg poisoning?

Examination and therapy is carried out by an infectious disease doctor or epidemiologist. The specialist will conduct an examination, take into account all the signs of intoxication and select the most effective treatment for the victim.

Therapeutic measures for mercury intoxication

Mercury vapor poisoning (symptoms will help determine the degree of damage to the body and choose the most effective therapy) in difficult situations requires inpatient treatment. The victim is assigned to the department of a medical institution and a specially selected therapy is carried out, taking into account his condition, existing clinical signs.

Treatment includes the following actions:

Name	Description
Antidote use	Doctors use universal remedies to provide antitoxic action (Sodium Tisulfate, Methionine, Taurine).
Hardware treatment	Special devices are used in case of extensive damage to the body (IVL).
Replacement and cleansing therapy	The victims are prescribed hemodialysis, formed diuresis, taking sorbents or direct blood transfusion.
Medication treatment	Symptomatic treatment is carried out with the use of diuretics, hepatoprotectors, bronchodilator drugs, corticosteroids.

Timely therapy will prevent serious complications, including the death of the victim. Medicines and procedures are selected by an infectious disease doctor, taking into account the condition of the victim and the degree of damage to the body.

Symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning cannot be ignored. In minimal doses, the chemical element is safe for humans. Large amounts of mercury are dangerous. You need to know how to help a person with intoxication. The treatment is carried out by an infectious disease doctor or epidemiologist. It is not worthwhile to engage in diagnostics and take medications on your own, you can aggravate your health.

Mercury poisoning is seen

Malyeshva about mercury poisoning. Where danger lives: