Does mercury from thermometer kill a person?

Answer 1

Well, someone would need to ingest a large amount or inhale an ever larger amount of Hg to face serious and immediate risk of death. The Mercury that is inside a thermometer is the pure metal, which is not the most toxic form of Hg. Someone could probably get killed by contact with organic forms of mercury, such as methylmercury or phenylmercury, which are much more toxic.

Answer 2

Mercury poisoning is a very serious condition that can cause damage to the brain and other organs of the body. It can cause conditions such as Acrodynia, Hunter-Russel Syndrome and Minimata Disease.

Answer 3

Mercury is a poison that if you are around consistently will build up in your brain causing you to go insane. "The Mad Hatter" from Alice in Wonderland wasn't just a made up name. They named it "Mad Hatters Disease" because centuries ago they used to dip top hats in mercury to make them water proof. So to answer your question, yes it's possible, but probably not. Although any that you have breathed in or ingested will stay in your system. Every time you're around it your body will always gain this amount. Once it gets to the point of causing neurological damage it's irreversible.

Answer 4

Yes, mercury is poisonous both in elemental form and in its compounds.

However, most thermometers that nowadays look like mercury thermometers actually contain an alloy called galinstan, which is a mixture of gallium, indium and tin. Personally, though I would not take my chances.

Answer 5

Not just can it WILL kill a human - Mercury is a poison and destroys the nervous system. The time it takes depends on the exposure (the amount of mercury) - it gets into the food chain (so people eat it) and not the air when heated -- so people breath it. In these circumstances it will take a number of years to kill. It also damages children, stunting their growth and ability to coordinate their movements and their intelligence.

Answer 6

Mercury used in medical thermometers is being phased out for safer alternatives. In some countries, use of mercury is banned. Mercury is still used in some scientific laboratories, but only under strictly controlled conditions.

Answer 7

Mercury is a highly-toxic metallic liquid that can be dangerous through contact, ingesting, or breathing of its fumes. I don't know if the amount in a thermometer can kill a human being.

Answer 8

The thermometer itself is harmless. But the mercury inside of it can be very harmful!

It is very unlikely that you will die from it, but you can be hospitalized.

Answer 9

To be killed with the mercury from a thermometer is a rare possibility but inhalation of mercury vapors remain very dangerous.