A mercury thermometer broke in an apartment: what to do and what are the consequences

What to do if a thermometer breaks in your apartment? What are the possible health consequences? Let's look into this issue together.

The standard set of almost every home first aid kit includes a thermometer for measuring body temperature, which is one of the most convenient and affordable devices for assessing and monitoring the condition of the human body not only in medical institutions, but also at home. Despite the fact that the World Health Organization recommends abandoning the use of mercury thermometers in favor of safer analogues, this type of thermometer is still widely popular among the population.

Despite the WHO recommendation to abandon mercury thermometers, they are still popular

A medical mercury thermometer belongs to liquid thermometers, the operating principle of which is based on changing the volume of liquid that is in the device when the ambient temperature changes. The main disadvantage of mercury thermometers is their fragility and the risk of compromising the integrity of the measuring device. If a thermometer breaks in an apartment, this can have adverse consequences.

The appearance of signs of mercury poisoning is a reason to immediately seek medical help.

How to handle it correctly

A thermometer with mercury is a potential danger, so it is important to prevent situations where the fallout of a toxic substance becomes a reality. There is a list of conditions that must be observed during storage and use of the temperature meter:

1. It is unacceptable to give it to children for play or for a child to hold.
2. It must be completely inaccessible to them.
3. The process of using the thermometer for its intended purpose should not be left unattended by adults, but it is better to hold the small handle with your own hand. After all, kids can forget, think and lose vigilance.
4. Storage without a special case is not recommended; it is important to take care of the correct plastic case.
5. Shaking the temperature meter should be done away from solid objects, as safely as possible and with dry, clean hands (so that it does not have the opportunity to slip out).

If there are pets in the house, then this also needs to be taken into account, because it can throw the device onto the floor or otherwise damage its integrity, thereby harming itself and the residents. A first aid kit with a key, located at the mezzanine level, where only an adult can reach by raising his hands to head level, does an excellent job of keeping safe. After all, if you take something out from above, where the eye cannot reach, then this is also not very safe.

Situation 3: mercury gets on the carpet or upholstered furniture

Ideally, the affected item should be thrown away. If you are not ready for this, then for its further safest use, collect mercury balls as we described above.

Then take it out into the fresh air and air it for several hours. When you return home, treat with potassium permanganate, bleach or soap and soda solution.

What is the danger of a broken thermometer?

Not everyone knows what to do if a thermometer in an apartment breaks. Therefore, many dangerous violations occur, because in order to protect yourself and others, it is very important to do everything correctly. If a small crumb remains after cleaning in a crack or in the carpet pile, the vapors will rise, evaporate, get on the skin, and then the body.

But mercury is a poisonous metal, it is impossible to remove it after this; it accumulates and gradually poisons a person from the inside. It is difficult to immediately notice what happened, since it all starts with a slight malaise, you may feel dizzy or nauseous. And this was weeks after the thermometer in our home was broken. It is unlikely that this will come to mind during an appointment with a doctor, then the examination and taking medications that relieve symptoms will be delayed for a long time.

There is a level of mercury content in the air, it is determined only by special devices, but if the harmful metal is in the room for a long time, this extreme norm will definitely reach and even exceed it several times. It has no odor and does not make itself felt in any way in everyday life until it accumulates in such quantities that it greatly impairs the quality of life. It is harmful, which is why it requires special handling, and, if possible, replacement with a safe version of the thermometer.

How to recognize negative consequences

If a thermometer breaks, then after vapors enter the space there will be no immediate signs of poisoning. This is a gradual process that accelerates during your stay in the home. Only after a week or two may primary signs appear, similar to overwork or disruption of biorhythms:

• presence of a metallic taste on the tongue;
• lethargy, lack of desire to work or spend leisure time outside the home;
• significantly reduced appetite;
• headaches of various types begin;
• strange unpleasant sensation when swallowing;
• nausea, vomiting may occur.

With such signs of poisoning, you must immediately visit a doctor and tell the whole situation. If you do not do this, ignore the alarming symptoms, they will not subside, but will only intensify and more abdominal pain will appear, your gums will begin to bleed, and your body temperature will rise to critical levels. This may all be accompanied by diarrhea streaked with blood and mucus.

This condition requires immediately calling an ambulance and going to the hospital, as these are dangerous signals that can lead to dehydration. And in the worst case, the result will be complications and death.

Consequences of ignoring the symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

If a thermometer in an apartment breaks, no one knows what to do, and nothing is done, poisoning from fumes will continue, and the metal will accumulate in the person. You can only provide first aid here on your own, but you cannot do without the intervention of a specialist. Otherwise, ignoring it can lead to chronic diseases, even the symptoms of which will be difficult to relieve:

1. Predisposition to frequent colds, which quickly develop into bronchitis and pneumonia.
2. Constant fatigue for no apparent reason, regular headaches, including migraines.
3. Sleep disorders, depression.
4. Difficult to control groundless anxiety, turning into mental disorders.
5. Problems with gums.
6. Liver and kidney diseases at various stages.

These problems appear after a month or more. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to associate a serious, but gradual, deterioration in condition with the fact that a mercury thermometer in the home broke. If this is not immediately indicated, then there is a high probability of prescribing conventional therapeutic treatment that is not intended to combat the cause. Symptoms will reappear after stopping medications or undergoing procedures.

How to help a victim

If the integrity of the thermometer is damaged and mercury substance falls out, you must immediately dial the ambulance number and explain the situation. But the carriage is not always ready to arrive as quickly as we would like; during this time it will be necessary to take measures to facilitate the course of the poisoning. Although the patient feels well, one should not succumb to illusions about safety.

It is important to drink as much liquid as possible, be it water or juice, even tea or coffee will do, in order to be able to flush more out of the body before the poison has time to be absorbed and deposited thoroughly. Here, a lot depends on the age of the victim; children often refuse to drink heavily; it is worth carefully negotiating or convincing. If he flatly refuses, it won’t hurt to take a drug that has the properties of a sorbent that removes metals from the body. Polysorb is often recommended for this.

The amount of powder and water is indicated in the instructions, but the count is based on body weight. That is, the lightest patients are children; they are usually given about half a teaspoon per specific volume of water. With every ten kilograms the dose increases, it is worth carefully monitoring the dosage, remembering and passing on the information to doctors.

How dangerous is spilled mercury?

But nevertheless, poisoning can occur if you did not notice the remaining mercury or did not remove it at all, if the room is warm and the room is not ventilated. Mercury is a metal, a thiol poison. Belongs to hazard class 1. Under normal conditions it is a liquid with an evaporation temperature of +18ºС. Mercury vapor is especially dangerous.

Mercury vapor easily spreads in indoor air over considerable distances and easily passes through porous bodies. Pure mercury is easily crushed; 5 grams of mercury with a ball diameter of 0.1 mm gives a surface area of ​​1.5 m2. The concentration of mercury vapor depends on air temperature, distance from the evaporating surface, area of ​​evaporation, air mobility, and purity of mercury.

The effect on the body is local irritant (upon contact with skin), enterotoxic (upon consumption of contaminated food), neurotoxic (upon inhalation of vapors). Mercury can enter the human body by inhaling vapors through the lungs, through food into the gastrointestinal tract, or through contact with the skin. When vapors are inhaled, more than 75% of the mercury is absorbed. Metallic mercury is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. 2-5% is absorbed through intact skin. Mercury is excreted through the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

Is it worth collecting the fragments and mercury balls? Precautionary measures

Since not everyone knows what to do if a thermometer breaks, there are a number of rules that, if followed, will ensure minimal damage from the incident. The amount of poison entering the body depends on how clearly and competently everything is done. Basic measures:

1. Protect your body and mucous membranes from fumes, which means using rubber gloves on your hands, shoe covers on your feet, closed clothing not made of soft fabric (something like a raincoat with the intention of disposing of it later). Plus a face mask, to protect the mucous membranes, it is better to soak it in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is all necessary if contact with the substance has not yet occurred.
2. There should be no one in the room, especially children and animals.
3. Mercury evaporates faster in a warm room, so in the cold season you can open the window without allowing a draft. It is capable of spreading fumes over an even larger space.
4. To dispose of metal if a mercury thermometer breaks, you must use a sealed container. A jar with a tight lid or a food container is suitable for this.
5. You should pour plain water or a solution of potassium permanganate into it, then put the thermometer fragments there.
6. All that remains is to collect the most dangerous part, then we look for these metal balls with our eyes. And, using paper and a wad of cotton wool soaked in a disinfecting solution, brush the mercury onto the sheet, then place it in a container with fragments. It is important to start moving from the walls to the center.
7. Sometimes it works better to use tape; it is glued to the floor where the balls are located, then torn off along with them and disposed of in a common container.
8. The smallest elements can be easily removed using a syringe or a bulb, only with the expectation of subsequent release.

It is worth closing the jar as soon as the procedure is completed; it should not be thrown away or left in a warm place, so it is better to leave it somewhere on the balcony.

If there is a mercury thermometer in the house, it must be under strict control

At temperatures above -39, mercury is in a liquid state. And already at +18° this liquid begins to evaporate.

Mercury vapor is dangerous: getting into the lungs with air, mercury penetrates through the blood into other organs, and, accumulating, can cause severe poisoning.

Signs of mercury poisoning may not appear immediately, but several hours after the thermometer has been broken and the child has inhaled mercury vapor.

Therefore, it is very important not to lose sight of mercury thermometers, and not to leave the baby alone with a thermometer under his arm. Mercury thermometers should be under strict parental supervision.

What to do if the thermometer breaks?

Cleaning the room, preventing poisoning after cleaning

If you break a thermometer and then remove the particles according to all the rules, you must carry out a thorough cleaning. To do this, mix 20 grams of potassium permanganate with ten liters of water. The resulting mixture is applied in any convenient, but safe, way to the floor, especially in the area where the mercury substance has recently been present.

Now you need to leave the solution to perform its direct functions for an hour, then wash off the residue with a strong soap solution (preferably with the addition of soda). Repeat the procedure a couple more times during the day, then do this for several more days. This is especially important if children or pets will crawl on this floor.

At the end, it is important to think about yourself, it’s time to wash your gloves and shoes in the same manganese water, then soapy water. Rinse your mouth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then brush your teeth as usual. Activated carbon will also not hurt to collect and remove possible toxins from the body - two or three pieces are enough for an adult. This is if he made contact exclusively in protective clothing.

It is worth taking care of drinking plenty of fluids. You can drink juice or tea; plain water or Borjomi works well. In a pinch, coffee will also work.

Acute mercury vapor poisoning - symptoms

In case of acute intoxication (poisoning), victims complain of gastrointestinal upset (nausea, vomiting, loose stools), blood pressure drops, the pulse is rare, threadlike, and fainting is possible.

Symptoms of respiratory tract damage: tracheobronchitis, runny nose; after a few hours, severe toxic pneumonia and toxic pulmonary edema may develop. At the same time, symptoms of damage to the digestive organs (frequent loose stools) and the central nervous system (drowsiness, periods of agitation) appear. On the 3-4th day, acute renal failure develops.

Acute poisoning can occur at 0.13 - 0.80 mg/m3. Fatal intoxication develops when 2.5 g of mercury vapor is inhaled.

According to GN 2.1.6.1338-03 “Maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) of pollutants in the atmospheric air of populated areas” and SanPiN 2.1.2.1002-00 “Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for residential buildings and premises”, the maximum permissible concentration of mercury vapor should not exceed 0, 0003 mg/m3.

What you definitely shouldn't do

If the thermometer breaks, you definitely cannot:

1. Use a broom and dustpan to collect the leftovers because this will not give the expected result. The rods will not scoop up the balls, but can crush them and aggravate the situation, because the resulting dust will already be collected in a household way. To do this, you will have to hire a special company to clean the premises and dispose of the toxic substance.
2. Try to eliminate the consequences of the incident with a vacuum cleaner. This will contribute to an even greater spread of mercury in space at the moment. And the residue will be sprayed into the air during many subsequent cleanings.
3. Dispose of the thermometer in public waste collection areas. This poses a danger to all residents of the entrance and surrounding area.
4. Get rid of metal balls by flushing them down the toilet. They will not go far into the dungeon, but will remain very close to the dwelling on the pipes, and it will be very difficult to get out of there.
5. Leave and continue to wear or use clothing that has been in contact with a hazardous substance. This is harmful for the wearer, as well as for those who will wash with him in the same washing machine.
6. Rinse cloths in the sink or bathroom after procedures, this will spread harmful pollen throughout the plumbing and pipes. Place in a tight bag and dispose of with other waste.

If it happens that a child breaks a thermometer, then you should not allow it to come into contact with mercury; if you have any doubts whether he has been in contact with the substance, you should consult a doctor.

What if the mercury has already been collected incorrectly, the fragments

Incorrect actions when collecting mercury residues can lead to poisoning, so if this happens, it is important to adhere to the principles of preventing complete absorption. This means that it is worth giving yourself or someone else first aid in the form of drinking plenty of fluids and taking sorbent. If something is left untidy, it must be tidied up according to the rules.

You also need to look at how closely and for a long time the contact with the substance occurred. If there were minor violations, then you can observe the victim, giving the first necessary remedy. If you come into close and direct contact with metal balls, you should consult a doctor to avoid serious negative consequences.

If the matter concerns a child, especially a small one, be sure to consult with your pediatrician, who is responsible for the baby’s health. In some cases, there are suspicions that the little man swallowed part of it. Then you will need an urgent appropriate examination, a specialist’s opinion, and, if necessary, taking measures.

What should you not do?

Mercury is a metal that poses a health hazard. Moreover, its couples pose a threat. If it gets on the carpet, then it is strictly forbidden to take the following actions :

1. Try to collect metal with a vacuum cleaner.
   It will get inside the device and settle on all its parts. Each time you turn it on, the equipment will be a source of toxic fumes. Therefore, you will have to get rid of such a vacuum cleaner.

2. Sweep mercury from the carpet using a broom.
   Its hard rods will break large balls into small fractions. It will be difficult to collect them. Air currents and sweeping movements can spread metal throughout the room. In secluded places it can lie for years and poison the air with toxic fumes.
3. Clean the carpet with a brush. It will break large drops into small components. They will penetrate into the deep structures of the carpet. It will be impossible to clean them. You will have to get rid of the floor covering.
4. You cannot open windows and doors in a room at the same time. This will lead to the formation of a draft and toxic fumes will spread throughout the apartment faster.

Do not step on carpet contaminated with mercury. The metal, along with house shoes, will spread throughout the living space. In addition, you can get injured by fragments of the thermometer.

Disposal of residues: why, where and how important it is

Proper disposal of thermometer residues is important due to mercury pollution in the environment. Every citizen bears social responsibility for his actions that may cause harm to others. Mercury fumes are poisonous, which is why the temperature meter requires a special disposal site.

A free option can be to call 112, this is the Ministry of Emergency Situations service, where employees are ready to give instructions at a specific moment and go out to pick up the substance and things contaminated with it for disposal. But they don’t always arrive as quickly as possible, so it’s better to carry out the basic procedures yourself.

There is an option to order the services of special companies involved in eliminating such incidents. It doesn’t cost a penny, but the owner can be sure that the space is cleared of fumes, the level of the substance has reached normal, and it is safe to live in the apartment or house. They take the thermometer, leave the home clean, and the owner happy with the result.

What not to do if a mercury thermometer breaks

When collecting a broken thermometer, it is prohibited:

• Sweep mercury balls with a broom, as hard rods crush mercury, which leads to more intense evaporation of this toxic substance.
• Use a vacuum cleaner that, due to the strong flow of warm air, quickly spreads toxic fumes.
• Collect mercury with a rag, as this method risks rubbing the mercury on the floor.
• Throw the collected mercury, as well as the objects with which it was collected, into the street: for example, the mercury from just one broken thermometer can contaminate about 6 cubic meters. air.
• Throw mercury into the garbage disposal, since in a closed space the concentration of its toxic fumes increases significantly.
• Rinse mercury balls down the drain: the fact is that, settling on the pipes, it can become a source of poisoning for the entire house.
• Bury or burn mercury, because this will negatively affect the surrounding ecology.
• Open windows and doors until all the mercury has been collected (air currents can move metal balls).
• Wash clothes that have come into contact with mercury in the washing machine.
• Turn on the air conditioner (mercury settles well on the filters).

Prevention of disaster

Young children have to take their temperature quite often. Therefore, it is better to buy not an ordinary thermometer for your home, but a special safe one - infrared and electronic. The baby will no longer be able to see through the tip of this device, bite it off no matter how hard he tries, and it is much more convenient to use such a device - the temperature values ​​​​are clearly visible on the electronic display.

Using a mercury thermometer the old fashioned way, follow the rules:

1. Do not give the device to small children.
2. Store the device in a special case and out of the reach of children.
3. When measuring your baby's temperature, carefully hold his hand.
4. When shaking the device, keep your hand away from objects that could easily break it.

Good to know: what to do when a child swallows a foreign object, how to stop nosebleeds. Read these articles because an emergency situation can arise at any time.

Ways to remove mercury vapor from the body

Our body is quite capable of removing the heavy metals that have entered it. After all, mercury can accumulate in us not only when living in an apartment full of broken thermometers. There is also a lot of it in:

• some seafood;
• polluted air;
• poor quality drinking water;
• household chemicals;
• ointments and whitening creams.

There are several ways to help the body cleanse itself of accumulated mercury.

1. Make a decoction of coriander (cilantro): pour 8 teaspoons of finely chopped herbs into a liter of boiling water, then leave for about half an hour. Drink coriander decoction, replacing regular tea, for a couple of months. Brew the decoction only in glass containers, but not in metal ones.
2. Take a decoction of burdock roots. 10 grams of dried plant roots are poured with a glass of boiling water, then boiled over low heat for a quarter of an hour. The broth is filtered. You need to drink a tablespoon three times a day.
3. Follow a special diet with plenty of seaweed, carrots, beets - such products themselves remove heavy metals or make them more inert.

Remember: the process of removing mercury from the body takes quite a long time, so be patient.

A decoction of burdock roots will help remove mercury vapor from the body.

How to protect yourself when cleaning the thermometer?

If a mercury thermometer is damaged, it is important to thoroughly remove all mercury particles as soon as possible.

To protect yourself and others, you must take the following steps:

• All people and pets must be removed from the room, the door must be closed, and the windows must be opened to allow fresh air to enter.
• Shoe covers or plastic bags are put on your feet, rubber gloves are on your hands, and a respirator is used to protect your respiratory organs.
• You should wear work clothes that you won’t mind throwing away after cleaning.
• A damaged thermometer with residual mercury is placed in a glass container with water and the lid is tightly closed.
• Every 15 minutes there is a short break to get some fresh air.

After the procedure, the home is ventilated for 3 weeks. Surfaces on which mercury has been spilled are treated with disinfectants.

Important! When removing the consequences of a broken thermometer, you need to drink as much clean water as possible.

What to do if there are no points nearby?

After studying many negative reviews regarding the situation with the disposal of thermometers and the fight against mercury spills, we conducted a more serious study to find out how things stand in various localities.

The results were shocking.

In Russia there is no well-functioning system for recycling mercury thermometers, despite the fact that this device is in every home.

After some time, the column of mercury separates, as a result of which the thermometer stops doing its job and you need to somehow get rid of it.

In large cities and metropolitan areas, a faulty thermometer, as well as a jar with the remaining mercury collected in it, can be handed over to collection points, at the SES or Ministry of Emergency Situations stations, but in small towns, small towns and villages there are no such points.

Therefore, their residents are forced to either take thermometers to a large city themselves, handing them over to a collection point, or figure out how to get rid of this medical device without harming at least themselves.

Most often, this leads to the thermometer being taken to a landfill and thrown away , after which mercury vapor contaminates the air at a distance of many kilometers.

Even in many large cities there is no well-functioning system for combating mercury spills as a result of damage to thermometers, because despite the obligation by law, representatives of the SES and the Ministry of Emergency Situations do not always travel at the request of residents to carry out demercurization.

On numerous forums, users talk about how, having broken a thermometer and called these services, they heard a response from the dispatcher, who stated that it was impossible to send specialists to demercurize and check the gas composition of the air due to the insignificance of the incident.

One of the users said that the dispatcher advised him to collect mercury using a vacuum cleaner, which is absolutely forbidden to do.

Here are some of the forums:

• gorodsalavat.ru;
• novocherkassk.net;
• komarovskiy.net;
• drom.ru;
• krasnoturinsk.me;
• 38mama.ru.

If you called the Ministry of Emergency Situations or the SES and they refused to help you, citing the insignificance of the incident, immediately call the higher division of these organizations and demand assistance.

Even a small mercury ball can seriously undermine the health of many people, and this is a direct threat to national security.

We also recommend that you both report all cases of refusal in the comments to this article, and talk on social networks, and it is advisable to indicate not only the date and location of the incident, but also the time of the call and the name of the person on duty.

Another way to reach the authorities is to write on the blog of the governor or president, or send a message to the hotline of the district, city or regional administration.

In this case, it is necessary to present only the facts and an objective picture , starting from the incident itself and ending with the reaction of the operational services and your concern for the health of a large number of people, that is, your family and neighbors.

We have prepared links to some resources of government agencies, where you can see official statistics on the response to citizens’ requests, including via the Internet:

1. Official website of the administration and Duma of the city of Krasnodar.
2. Official portal of the government of the Rostov region.
3. Official website of the Altai Territory.
4. Official blog of the governor of the Orenburg region.

Despite the fact that our site is a purely informational resource and cannot influence the policies of the authorities, there is a chance that our articles and your comments will force someone from the leadership of the country, region, city or district to think about this problem .

Perhaps, with joint efforts, we can turn the situation around and force emergency services to respond to every case of mercury spill caused by accidental damage to a thermometer, and also encourage the authorities to take the problem of recycling mercury thermometers more seriously.

In cities where the population is less than 200 thousand people, there are almost no enterprises that accept and dispose of thermometers.

We have compiled a table that includes small and medium-sized cities, as well as enterprises providing these services:

Orsk	Escort LLC	Ave. Nikelshchikov, 13 "B", +7 3537 34 02 36,
Tobolsk	LLC "NOV-Ecology"	Roshchinsky Lane 32, +7‒929‒264‒53‒26
Novokuznetsk	LLC "Utilitservis"	Technical passage 25, +7-3843-56-19-62
Dzerzhinsk	Eurocom LLC	st. Suvorova, 40. Tel.
Blagoveshchensk	LLC "Demercurization Center"	Amurskaya st., 3 tel. +7 (4162) 596-362,
Rybinsk	SAH LLC	st. Sofiyskaya 76. Telephone.
Abakan	Eco-mercury LLC	st. Sovetskaya, 75, office 204 (2nd floor), +7 (3902) 22-77-33 +7 (983) 191-0428
Moore	OOO "	st. Frunze 2, apartment 90. +7-49234-7-73-04

The child bit through the thermometer and swallowed mercury

Sometimes it turns out that they didn’t keep an eye on the child and came after the incident, and it’s quite possible that the baby, having “crashed” a useful thing, at the same time tried the cute mercury balls that rolled out of the broken thermometer on his tongue and even swallowed it. The situation is, of course, unpleasant, but, we repeat, not particularly critical, since the concentration of mercury in household appliances is too low to pose a serious threat to the child’s body.

A child who has swallowed mercury from a thermometer should be shown to a doctor.

But it is still necessary to show the baby to a doctor. Sometimes the baby does not drop the thermometer, but, for example, bites it, chews it, and as a result scratches his tongue, lips with fragments, and often swallows a fragment, and in such a case the consequences are much more dangerous than mercury in low concentrations.

Recycling process

There are two methods for disposing of mercury thermometers:

• hydrometallurgical,
• thermal.

In the first method, the thermometers are first subjected to wet crushing , and at the same time the glass is washed in a special solution of mercury.

The equipment where this can be done is a ball mill.

The time required is up to 200 minutes.

Temperature – up to 60 degrees.

Then a reagent (liquid) is added there, consisting of:

• potassium iodide,
• sodium chloride.

The process is demercurization of mercury thermometers . When the process is completed, the reagent, which contains mercury salts that are no longer hazardous to the environment and humans, will be drained from the mill. It will be transported for extraction by cementation with aluminum.

With the second method, the thermometers will also be subject to crushing. And the resulting cullet will be heated until the mercury goes into a vapor state. itself will be sent to the condensate system , where it will be cleaned of mercury vapor to sanitary standards.

The standards are given in GOST “Sanitary rules for working with mercury, its compounds and devices with mercury filling”, approved by the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the USSR on April 4, 1988, No. 4607-88, and also in accordance with GOST 12.3.031-83 “Working with mercury. Safety requirements".

Consequences

As a result of poisoning, unpleasant consequences will soon arise, fraught with complications:

• possible development of pneumonia, hypotension;
• the functioning of the thyroid gland will go wrong;
• hypertension will occur;
• pathologies will appear in the functioning of the kidneys, liver and gall bladder;
• the risk of tuberculosis and atherosclerosis increases.

Poisoning with concentrated mercury vapor can lead to serious pathologies.