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Broken Thermometer
I Just Broke A Thermometer
What Do I Do?
National Capital Poison Center
The Bottom Line
A broken
mercury-containing thermometer can be toxic if the vapors are inhaled. The
risk of poisoning from touching or swallowing mercury from a broken thermometer is low if appropriate clean-up measures
are taken.
The Full Story
A fever can be a
sign of an infection or other medical condition, so it is useful to check body
temperature with a thermometer.
Temperatures can be
checked in the mouth, rectum, armpit, and ear as well as across the forehead.
Thermometers use a
variety of technologies to measure body temperature.
The oldest
technology is the mercury-in-glass thermometer.
Newer technologies
include non-mercury liquids-in-glass as well as digital and electronic devices
that use sensors to measure temperature.
Thermometers that
check body temperature in the ear, across the forehead, or have a digital
display do not contain mercury.
The EPA recommends
the use of mercury-free thermometers but it does not endorse any specific brand
and suggests choosing a thermometer that is easy to use and read.
A recent study
found that the most accurate way to measure body temperature is with a rectal
thermometer.
However, the
authors of the study say that when the rectal route is impractical or should be
avoided, electronic thermometers that are placed in the mouth or in the ear are
reasonable alternatives.
Potentially harmful
effects from broken thermometers vary depending on the type of thermometer.
The most concerning
are mercury-containing thermometers.
The least
concerning are the digital/electronic thermometers because they contain no
potentially hazardous liquids that can spill if broken.
However, many of
the electronic thermometers contain button cell batteries which can be very harmful if
swallowed.
If a battery is
swallowed, contact the battery ingestion hotline at 800-498-8666.
Common to all the
liquid-in-glass thermometers is the potential for injury from the broken glass.
Studies of children
in emergency rooms have noted injury to the mouth, rectum, and ear from broken
thermometer glass.
Otherwise the
potential toxicity from these broken thermometers depends on the type of liquid
used.
If you have a
liquid-in-glass thermometer, it is important to be able to tell if it contains
mercury. A few simple steps can help.
If the liquid is
not silver in color, it does not contain mercury. If the liquid is silver in
color it might be mercury.
Spilled mercury has
a characteristic appearance. It is a dense, shiny, fast-moving liquid metal
that can break up into little balls that reform when pushed together.
But not all
thermometers with silver liquid contain mercury.
There are
liquid-in-glass thermometers that contain a non-mercury silver substance
(Galinstan®) that, according to its maker, is not toxic when
swallowed because it passes through the digestive system without effect.
Inhalation is also
not a concern because there is no absorption through the lungs.
If the thermometer
has silver liquid and is not labeled as “mercury-free,” assume it contains
mercury.
The non-silver
liquid-in-glass thermometers typically contain a colored alcohol. Contact with
the skin or inside the mouth could cause minor irritation or a burning
sensation that should resolve quickly.
If the liquid
spills, rinse off the skin or rinse out the mouth with water. If the liquid
gets in the eye, prevent irritation by irrigating the eye with water for 15 to
20 minutes, then call Poison Control.
Mercury can be
toxic in certain situations. Most oral and rectal thermometers contain about
0.5-0.6 grams of mercury.
Mercury is not
absorbed through intact skin or from a healthy digestive tract in amounts that
would cause toxic effects.
Therefore, harmful
effects would not be expected from swallowing or touching the small amount of
mercury from a broken thermometer. However, skin irritation or contact
dermatitis may develop.
The main health
problems from mercury are from the vapors. These are produced at room
temperature and especially when mercury is heated.
The vapors can be
inhaled and are absorbed into the body. The immediate effects of inhaling
highly concentrated vapors include coughing, sore throat, difficulty breathing,
chest pain, vomiting, and headache.
An unexpected way
to heat up mercury and produce vapors occurs when a vacuum cleaner is used to
clean up a mercury spill. Never vacuum up mercury from a broken thermometer!
If a mercury spill
is not cleaned up right away, vapors will continue to be produced.
These vapors might
be in low concentrations that would not cause immediate effects, but repeated
long-term exposure to vapors can cause problems such as shaking, difficulty
walking, weakness, headaches, loss of appetite, gum inflammation, red skin,
high blood pressure, rapid pulse, kidney damage, and personality changes.
Depending on the
specific circumstances surrounding the broken mercury-containing thermometers,
most cases can be managed safely at home; however, always contact Poison
Control at 1-800-222-1222 for assistance.
Initial treatment
following exposure to spilled mercury includes washing with soap and water if
mercury came into contact with the skin and getting fresh air if the vapors are
inhaled.
Ingestion of small
amounts of mercury usually do not need a specific treatment, but rinsing with
water then spitting can help remove any mercury remaining in the mouth.
For people with
symptoms, special drugs can be given to help remove the mercury from the body.
Calls to Poison
Control about mercury from broken thermometers are declining because of the
availability of other types of thermometers.
Although mercury is
considered a highly toxic substance, the overall risk of toxicity from a broken
mercury-containing thermometer is low when appropriate clean-up measures are taken.
The EPA recommends
the following clean-up steps for broken mercury thermometers in your home.
1.
Have everyone else (including pets) leave the area; don't let
anyone walk through the mercury on their way out. Open all windows and doors to
the outside; shut all doors to other parts of the house.
2.
DO NOT allow children to help you clean up the spill.
3.
Mercury can be cleaned up easily from the following surfaces:
wood, linoleum, tile, and most other hard, smooth surfaces.
4.
If a spill occurs on carpet, curtains, upholstery, or other
absorbent surfaces, these contaminated items should be thrown away in
accordance with the disposal means outlined below. Only cut and remove the
affected portion of the contaminated carpet for disposal.
5.
Put on rubber, nitrile, or latex gloves.
6.
If there are any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects, pick
them up with care. Place all broken objects on a paper towel. Fold the paper
towel and seal it in a Zip-Lock style bag.
7.
Locate visible mercury beads. DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner or
broom to clean up mercury. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads.
Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a
flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor and look for additional
glistening beads of mercury that might be sticking to the surface or in small
cracked areas on the surface. Note: Mercury can move surprising distances on
hard, flat surfaces, so be sure to inspect the entire room.
8.
Use an eyedropper to collect the mercury beads. Slowly and
carefully drop the mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a
Zip-Lock style bag and secure. DO NOT pour mercury down a drain.
9. After you remove
larger beads, put shaving cream on top of small paint brush and gently
"dot" the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads. Alternatively,
use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass
fragments. Place the paint brush or duct tape in a zip lock bag and secure.
10. Once all glass and
mercury have been collected, Contact your local health or fire department for
disposal guidance.
If someone has been
exposed to a broken thermometer, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for
expert advice.
This Really
Happened
An 11-month-old girl was seen in a
hospital because she developed loss of appetite, difficulty crawling,
drowsiness, an itchy rash, red skin on her hands, and peeling skin on her feet.
The girl also had high blood pressure
and a rapid pulse.
In addition to checking for medical
problems, the doctors asked the mother about exposures to anything unusual at
home.
The mother said that mercury from a
broken thermometer had been spilled on the carpet in the child’s room 2 weeks
before the symptoms started.
The spill had not been cleaned up.
Mercury levels in her body were
elevated.
After months of treatment with a
medicine that helps remove mercury from the body, the symptoms were gone and
the mercury levels were not detectable.
Prevention Tips
· Use thermometers that do not contain mercury.
· Never allow children to play with thermometers or any other
source of mercury.
· If a mercury-containing thermometer is broken, do not clean up
the spilled mercury with a vacuum cleaner.
Karen D. Dominguez, PharmD
Certified Specialist in Poison Information
Certified Specialist in Poison Information
About
The National Capital Poison Center
There
are 2 ways to get help from Poison Control. Use
webPOISONCONTROL® to
get help online, or call 1-800-222-1222.
The
National Capital Poison Center, founded in 1980, is an independent,
private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. In recognition of its high
quality, the Center is accredited by the American Association of Poison Control
Centers. The Center is not a government agency.
The
mission of National Capital Poison Center is to prevent poisonings, save lives,
and limit injury from poisoning. In addition to saving lives, Poison Control
decreases health care costs of poisoning cases.
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