Mercury: General Information – Gov.uk

Overview

Mercury appears widely in the environment due to natural and human processes. They are present in 3 forms, that is, in elemental (metal) mercury, inorganic and organic mercury. This section of general information will only focus on the elementary and inorganic mercury.

Elemental Mercury is a shiny, silver-white liquid metal at room temperature and can also refer to as fast silver. It evaporates to form a mercury steam, which is the dominant form of mercury in the atmosphere.

Inorganic mercury compounds contain mercury in combination with other elements: The mercury sulphide contains sulfur. Mercury oxide contains oxygen. and the mercury chloride contains chlorine. These compounds are mainly white powders or crystals.

Uses of mercury

Elemental mercury is used in electrolysis of sodium chloride to create caustic soda and chlorine and extract gold from ores. It is used for the manufacture of lamps, electric switch, thermometers and barometers.

Some types of dental amalgam (used in dental fills) also contain elemental mercury. Inorganic mercury compounds have been used in medicinal products, preservatives, fungicides and antiseptics, although their use in these areas has been largely interrupted in recent decades. Inorganic mercury can also be found in illegal skin lights and traditional drugs.

How mercury enters the environment

Small quantities of mercury exist in the environment in the ground, water and air due to natural and human (anthropogenic) processes.

The main natural sources of mercury in the environment are ventilated by the Earth’s crust, volcanic emissions and the evaporation of water bodies.

Most of the mercury released from anthropogenic activities is the elemental mercury released in the air due to extraction, combustion of fossil fuels and waste. Mercury also enters the ground from fertilizers, fungicides and solid waste, such as thermometers, lamps or electric switches.

Exposure to mercury

Exposure to mercury may occur from breathing infected air, consumption of contaminated foods or water or from contact with the skin. Everyone is exposed to mercury to a small extent by air, water and food. People may be exposed to mercury by dental amalgam used in dental fills.

The EU Scientific Committee for emerging and recently identified health risks (Scene) Is considered to be the safety of dental amalgam and concluded that the dental amalgam that has already come into force is not considered a risk to the general population.

The leaks of elemental mercury from broken thermometers, barometers or compact fluorescent lamps can lead to exposure to mercury vapor. Some traditional medicinal products and illegal creams from the skin may contain mercury and their use can lead to exposure.

Professional exposure to mercury can occur in various mercury workplaces, such as factories that make electrical equipment or thermometers, chemical treatment plants and dental practices. Safe levels are imposed on the protection of workers who may be exposed to Hermes at work. These levels are below those believed to cause harmful effects.

How exposure to mercury can affect your health

The presence of mercury in the environment does not always lead to exposure. In order to cause any adverse effects on health, you must contact him. You may be exposed to mercury with breathing or swallow it or contact with the skin.

After exposure to any chemical, the adverse health effects you may encounter depend on a variety of factors, including the amount on which they are exposed (dose), how you are exposed, the duration of the exposure, the form of the chemical and if exposed to any other chemicals.

Small quantities of elemental mercury is unlikely to cause adverse health effects. If large quantities swallow, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain may occur.

Breathing elements of mercury tobacco can cause nausea, vomiting and flu symptoms, such as fever and muscle aches and pains. Coughing, breathing and chest pain can also occur a few hours after exposure. Breathing in larger quantities of mercury tobacco can cause lung damage and may affect the kidneys, liver and muscles.

Elemental mercury can also affect the central nervous system that causes fatigue, nervousness, tremor, headaches, personality changes, memory loss and hallucinations.

Eye exposure to elementary mercury smoke can cause eye irritation, conjunctivitis, blurred vision and light sensitivity. Skin itching and redness can occur after contact with the skin with elemental mercury.

Inorganic mercury compounds do not evaporate, so they do not generally breathe and only small amounts can pass through the skin.

Inorganic swallowing swallowing inorganic mercury can cause stomach irritation, leading to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The ingestion of large quantities of inorganic mercury can cause stomach ulcers and can damage the kidneys, intestines and nervous system.

Mercury

The International Cancer Research Organization (Hillion) found that there was not enough evidence to determine whether mercury could cause human cancer.

Pregnancy and the unborn child

There is little evidence of the impact of exposure to inorganic or elemental mercury during pregnancy. Therefore, no definitive conclusions can be drawn. The impact on the unborn child are more likely to occur at levels that hurt the mother.

Children

Children can be more sensitive to the neurotoxic effects of mercury, as their central nervous system still develops.

Rarely, some children exposed to high levels of metal or inorganic mercury have developed a condition called acrodynia. The symptoms and characteristics of this are muscle cramps, irritability, redness of the skin and swelling, skin peeling, itching, fever and sweating.

What to do if you are exposed to Hermes

You should remove yourself from the source of exposure.

If you have mercury on your skin, remove dirty clothes, wash the affected area with lukewarm water and soap for at least 10 to 15 minutes and look for medical tips.

If you have mercury in your eyes, remove the contact lenses, irrigate the affected eye with lukewarm water for at least 10 to 15 minutes and look for medical advice.

If you have inhaled or swallowed mercury request medical advice.

If you spill mercury or break a mercury device

Small mercury leaks (such as broken thermometer or compact fluorescent lamp) at home can be cleaned as follows:

• Put disposable gloves before cleaning the leak
• Any broken glass should be carefully received and placed in a double bag
• Mercury droplets should be collected with sticky tape or pieces of paper and mounted in a double bag
• If the leak has occurred in bed linen or clothes, it should be double bag and rejected. should not be washed and reused
• A lens can be used to control all mercury droplets have been collected
• The room should be ventilated (as mercury can disappear and breathe) for at least 24 hours
• Mercury should in no way be empty, as this can increase exposure exposure – if a gap to clean a small amount
• The disposal of collected mercury may vary between local authorities. Therefore, you should contact your local health section to request the appropriate mood – find your local authority website

For leaks that include barometers and other larger devices, where it may be a larger amount of mercury, you should contact the Local Environmental Health Service for further advice.

Additional sources of information

NHS.UK provides information about:

The information contained in this document by the UK Safety Service (Ukhsa) Radiation, Directorate of Chemicals and Environment is correct at the time of its publication. Email chemcompendium@ukhsa.gov.uk if you have any questions about this guidance or other email enqueries@ukhsa.gov.uk