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Whole building detoxification because of a single broken thermometer seems like overkill (unless it was some unusually big one). It's important to clean it pro

by bd 18y ago

Whole building detoxification because of a single broken thermometer seems like overkill (unless it was some unusually big one). It's important to clean it properly (good ventilation, don't spread it around, don't vacuum clean), but unless you do something really stupid (that would get significant amount vaporized and inhaled), it should be ok. Perhaps the most important thing to remember if you break a household thermometer is do not panic. The amount of mercury contained in an oral thermometer is small and does not present an immediate threat to human health. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs46.html http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs46.html (CDC Public Health Statement for Mercury)

electromagnetic 18y ago
I broke one by accident when I was around 15, the total amount is about the size of a penny because the liquid is heavy and doesn't form a nice 'bubble' like water does. IIRC I used a paper towel (whilst wearing rubber gloves, with the windows all open) to absorb the mercury and slid it into a plastic bottle and bagged it like 10 times before I went outside to make sure I wasn't exposed too long. From my understanding they recommend all the precautions, not because like one drop will kill you, but because "it's better safe than sorry". You have an entire lifetime, just like you shouldn't be exposed to a huge dose of radiation, you shouldn't expose yourself to a huge dose of mercury, because fish contain mercury (and my lack of eating fish has likely balanced out any mercury I was actually ever exposed to) and if you eat tons of fish, sucking on broken thermometers and breaking florescent bulbs might just get enough mercury into you to make you nuts... although if you're purposefully exposing yourself to raw mercury to begin with I believe it's probably a moot point.
Tangurena 18y ago
One dorm at a university (fau is commonly called "find another university") I went to had to be shut down in 1994 for decontamination, as some students stole mercury from one of the chemistry labs and played with it. I can't find how much it was on the web, but I seem to remember it being about 1 quart of mercury (about 25 pounds).

by bd 18y ago

electromagnetic 18y ago

I broke one by accident when I was around 15, the total amount is about the size of a penny because the liquid is heavy and doesn't form a nice 'bubble' like water does. IIRC I used a paper towel (whilst wearing rubber gloves, with the windows all open) to absorb the mercury and slid it into a plastic bottle and bagged it like 10 times before I went outside to make sure I wasn't exposed too long. From my understanding they recommend all the precautions, not because like one drop will kill you, but because "it's better safe than sorry". You have an entire lifetime, just like you shouldn't be exposed to a huge dose of radiation, you shouldn't expose yourself to a huge dose of mercury, because fish contain mercury (and my lack of eating fish has likely balanced out any mercury I was actually ever exposed to) and if you eat tons of fish, sucking on broken thermometers and breaking florescent bulbs might just get enough mercury into you to make you nuts... although if you're purposefully exposing yourself to raw mercury to begin with I believe it's probably a moot point.

Tangurena 18y ago

One dorm at a university (fau is commonly called "find another university") I went to had to be shut down in 1994 for decontamination, as some students stole mercury from one of the chemistry labs and played with it. I can't find how much it was on the web, but I seem to remember it being about 1 quart of mercury (about 25 pounds).