Mercury poisoning? Only definate correct answers please?

Question

I broke a mercurial thermometer this morning and the mercury went everywhere. I was able to use the end of the thermometer that had some mercury left inside to collect the mercury that had spilt on the carpet. I tried to be careful and not let it touch my skin but I'm certain that some of it did. Afterwards, I washed my hands throughly but was wondering if there was any thing else I should do?
Also, how do I dispose of the mercury and the broken thermometer?

Thanks

It was definately silver inside and when I purchased it the box said mercurial. Also, it had balled up after smashing and when it came near another small ball, it merged like the silver dude from Terminator.

Answer 1

Katie, although it's always wise to be cautious about any toxic substance, you really have nothing to worry about. The quantity of mercury used in making a thermometer is really very small. Mercury poisoning actually occurs in almost all cases from prolonged exposure to mercury vapor. The phrase "Mad as a hatter" entered the language because hat makers used mercury in their trade.

Your incidental contact with a small amount of mercury doesn't pose a health risk to you at all.

As for disposal, the mercury WOULD be an environmental hazard-------again the quantity is quite small. Being ecologically concerned, there are places you could easily have it disposed of.The first to come to mind is your dentist (Yes, they still use it.) Alternatively, you could visit the Physics Dept.( Not Chemistry) of a High School or College near you and drop it off. Being more realistic, a perfectly sensible thing to do would be to just discard it in your ordinary trash------again the amount in question is minute.

Answer 2

The amount of mercury that you absorb through the skin depends on how much surface area of the skin was in contact with the mercury, and the length of time. If you touched a few drops for a few seconds, then you probably absorbed practically no mercury. Nothing else needed beside washing.

To dispose of the mercury, you need to contact the people that collect the trash in your neighborhood to see how to dispose of the mercury in a safe and environmentally-friendly way. Most trash collection facilities have some sort of procedure for disposing of toxic chemicals.

Answer 3

First off were you in you house? If so, no biggie as the amount in most medical type thermometers is not enough to effect you unless you swallow it. However, if in a public building rules apply for even a medical type thermometer. It is considered a hazmat spill and the fire department must be called for a hazmat clean up. If you just throw away the mercury you are not breaking the law, however, it is best to keep it in a closed jar until your city, county or area has a day when they accept hazardous materials.
As for getting a little on your skin, as long as you washed up good you should have no effects from it.

Answer 4

Throw the thermometer away in the trash (Or you can take it to your local hazardous waste disposal site if it worries you that much). If you washed your hands thoroughly, there is little chance you could get mercury poisoning. As long as you were safe about picking it up and cleaning after.

You shouldn't be too worried, I've broken dozens of them and had mercury on my hands for longer than a few minutes and I turned out alright.

Answer 5

You're absolutely sure that it was mercury? Most thermometers nowadays use alcohol. If the line is silver, it's mercury. If the line is red or blue, it is NOT.

But if it was mercury, I wouldn't worry too much, as mercury absorbs poorly through the skin, especially when you have as little mercury as there is in a thermometer.

If it is indeed mercury, you may contact your health department or sanitation service to see if there is any such disposal site. If not, put it in a Ziploc bag and throw it out.

Answer 6

if u were not wearing rings or metal jewellery at the time you will be fine. (mercury bonds to many precious metals). mercury vapour otherwise, is the main concern to health.

the bad news is that carpet of yours. that is going to require professional assistance if you are concerned about safety regarding mercury vapour that will be constantly released as long as the carpet is contaminated.

if you suspect that some cleanable mercury is still in the carpet, use a flash light to shine on the spot. visible droplets will reflect light.

worst case scenario is you have to get that piece of carpet removed and disposed off.

and i hope you didnt dump the spilled mercury into your sewage system. that would cause problems not only for the environment but your metal plumbing network.

Answer 7

In the 60's they put mercury in our hands to play with.Dummies,kids dropped the stuff all over the floor in the class room.I learned in a chemical factory that mercury evaporates at room temperature.We cleaned the mercury in acid to re-use in open mercury wells on the drum deck at 130 degrees.No wonder 9 people died working there.

Answer 8

call a poisin control center to make sure it is all cleaned up and that it didnt get on ur hands they have special things that they need to do