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Mercury poisoning
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Mercury poisoning can occur both in domestic and industrial conditions.
Hydrargyrum is used in some industrial sectors, as raw materials or as a processed product, and also used in the farm as herbicides or parasite control agents. Hydrargyrum is a part of some medicines and thermometers; Mercury solutions are used for antiseptics.
The compounds of rattlesnake silver are able to penetrate the body by swallowing, inhaling fumes, through the skin and mucous membranes. We will talk about the peculiarities of mercury poisoning in our article.
Causes Mercury poisoning
The risk of poisoning with mercury can be even an ordinary thermometer, which any one of us can accidentally drop and break. In this case, you can get poisoned if you do not take measures in time to eliminate the risk of evaporation of rattlesnake.
In addition to the medical thermometer, other sources are known, which can be dangerous. These are lighting sources, mercury-containing devices, nutrients with metal content, electric valves with mercury, energy-saving lamps, paint with rattling silver (cinnabar).
Direct sources of toxic substance are:
- elemental mercury;
- inorganic complexes (salt mercury compounds);
- organic complexes (methylated mercury compounds).
All substances containing to some extent Hydrargyrum are poisonous, however organic complexes are most often found in everyday conditions, therefore the main danger lies in them. For example, we all know about the use of this metal in thermometers. It is also present in some fillings used for dentistry.
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Forms
Poisoning
Intoxication with vapors of metal promotes the appearance of psychoneurological signs:
- increased excitability;
- sleep disorders;
- nervousness;
- double vision in the eyes;
- difficulties with swallowing;
- depressive state;
- loss of orientation;
- trembling in the limbs;
- headaches.
When inhaled vesicles of silver, inflammation of the lungs can occur, up to the edema.
A blood test will indicate a decrease in the level of hemoglobin and erythrocytes, as well as leukopenia and a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left.
Hydrargyrum breathes freely through the blood-brain and placental barrier.
Complications and consequences
The most unfavorable consequences of mercury poisoning do not develop when the thermometer is accidentally broken up, but when the metal is damaged by a significant concentration of metal during industrial accidents, or when small amounts of metal penetrate the body for a long time.
Hydrargyrum is excreted from the body extremely slowly, regardless of the dose at which it enters it. Especially sensitive to the damaging toxic effects of rattlesnake silver, women and children.
Among the most common consequences of mercury poisoning, which are not immediately apparent, but over a long time period, we can distinguish the following:
- damage to the mucous membranes of the digestive system, toxic damage to organs;
- impairment of motor function and ability to coordinate movements;
- psychoemotional disorders;
- muscle weakness, chronic fatigue;
- disorders of the central nervous system and urinary system, acute renal failure.
A complete picture of the late effects of mercury poisoning, unfortunately, has not been sufficiently studied.
Diagnostics Mercury poisoning
When diagnosing mercury poisoning, first of all, it is necessary to determine the differences of this state from acute gastrointestinal diseases, acute renal pathologies of non-toxic genesis, acute disturbance of cerebral circulation.
Laboratory diagnostic methods consist of the following procedures:
Determination of free hemoglobin in the blood by photoelectrocolorimetry;
Quantitative determination of metal in the bloodstream and urine using colorimetry.
It should be borne in mind that the concentration of metal in the blood and urine can have normal values for 14 or more days from the moment of intoxication, and only then increase.
Analyzes of mercury poisoning will indicate a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin and erythrocytes in the blood, leukopenia and a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left. ESR increases.
Analyzes for mercury poisoning
There are several test programs used to determine the metal concentration. Methods for studying blood, hair and urine (with or without provocation) are used in both adult and pediatric patients.
Blood. A blood test for the metal content should be carried out immediately after intoxication, since mercury has a very short half-life in the blood.
Hair and urine - are used in the form of indicators of excretion of toxic substances from the body. Excretion is determined by the toxic load on the body and the concentration of the substance controlling this excretion. The essence of the method: hair grows about 1.5 cm every 1-2 months. With the help of this fact, an approximate determination of the point of poisoning is possible.
Urine can be used to detect the recent ingress of metal into the body, usually over the past several days.
Test using provocation. This is the most revealing method of detecting Hydrargyrum. It uses a special detoxification substance, which is introduced into the body, after which a urine sample is taken. This procedure will point to two important factors: that mercury was present in the body; that the detoxifying substance used can remove it.
Treatment Mercury poisoning
What to do?
What measures should be taken when Hydrargyrum appears indoors:
- Ventilate the room well, open the windows, but close the doors leading to other rooms;
- to warn family members that it is not necessary to enter the room in order to prevent metal from spreading to other rooms and to prevent the release of vaporous mercury from the premises;
- at the entrance to the room, place a towel soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate;
- separate that part of the room where the mercury pellets are scattered, put on rubber gloves and collect the balls in a plastic bag or glass jar with a lid;
- You can not use a vacuum cleaner, because metal particles can remain in the vacuum cleaner and continue their toxic action;
- Floor and surface, which hit the metal, should be washed with a solution of potassium permanganate or chlorine.
After the conducted activities the concentration of mercury vapor decreases from 5 to 10 times.
The collected mercury can be passed to the sanitary and epidemiological station, or buried in a plastic bag with bleach and buried.
Help
If you inhale mercury vapor, the injured person should be taken out of a hazardous area to fresh air and give him first aid.
First of all, it is necessary to wash the stomach with a suspension of activated carbon or water, mixed with raw egg whites.
After this, give the victim to drink milk, a mixed egg white with water, and then - a laxative. It is recommended to rinse the oral cavity with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, bertholets salt or zinc chloride.
The victim should take a shower, change clothes and consult a doctor.
During the day, it is necessary to drink a sufficient amount of liquid, so that mercury, found in the blood, rather leave the body through the urinary system.
Treatment
The main way of treatment can be considered the introduction into the body of a dimercapto compound (Unitiol).
Prevention
To prevent mercury poisoning, it is necessary to follow preventive measures.