What should I do if the thermometer is broken?

Common mercury thermometers are surrounded by glass on the outside, so if they are accidentally dropped, they are likely to break, and the mercury inside will come out. Mercury is also mercury. If it evaporates in the air and is inhaled by the human body, it can easily cause poisoning.

Because the outer packaging of the mercury thermometer is made of transparent glass, it will break if it falls to the ground. If a mercury thermometer breaks, the mercury inside will flow out. At this time, everyone needs to know how to deal with the mercury.

Mercury can bioaccumulate and is easily absorbed through the skin and the respiratory and digestive tracts. Minamata disease is a form of mercury poisoning. Mercury damages the central nervous system and has adverse effects on the mouth, mucous membranes and teeth. Long-term exposure to high levels of mercury can cause brain damage and death. Although mercury has a high boiling point, saturated mercury vapor at room temperature already reaches several times the toxic dose.

tool

Tin foil, sulfur powder, masks, gloves.

1. First, wear a mask and gloves to collect the scattered mercury

The collection method is to use tin foil, or other materials such as glass, to gather the scattered mercury columns one by one into a large drop of mercury. Then introduce it into the bottle and seal it with the lid. Do not throw it away casually, try to hand it over to a nearby school or chemistry institute for disposal.