Mercury

V.S.S.Nair

Administrative Officer

S.U.T. Group of Hospitals

Only metal which is liquid at NTPCalled ‘Quick Silver’ because of its Silvery white appearance

Heavy, odorless, lustrous, sinks in water Poor conductor of heat Fair conductor of electricity

- Mercury has Unique characteristics - Very effective in electric switches, thermostats, appliance switches.- Has high surface tension, rolls freely inside glass bulbs

As it moves within the switch it makes or breaks electrical circuits For lighting, heating, cooling or pumping

Mercury thermostats recognized and valued for their accuracy reliability and long life.

Used in medicines, ointment, light bulbs, fluorescents lights, batteries Out door and fever thermometers

Toys, Pesticides, skin creams gas appliances, household cleaners , BP gauges, antibacterial soaps, High Intensity discharge lamp.

How Much Mercury?

Barometers 500gramsThermostats 4.5gramsFever thermometers 1gramSmall switches 4gramsLarge switches up to 40gramsCompact lights 17.5 milligramsHID lamps 35milligramsFluorescent bulbs 5milligrams/linear ft.Button cell batteries 9 milligramsBlood pressure 110 gramsMonitors

mercury enters the environment when these products are broken or disposed

Mercury when exposed becomes airborne washes into lakes, streams and ground water when it rains

Bioaccumulation

It gathers in the bodies of organisms to gradually accumulate . Instead of being broken down by an organisms systems it simply builds in concentrations

Mercury is toxic

In human mercury affects the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver and causes impaired speech, vision, hearing and motor skills

Through natural bacterial processes in the Through natural bacterial processes in the water, mercury is converted into its most water, mercury is converted into its most toxic form-methyl-mercury, which is toxic form-methyl-mercury, which is eaten by plankton.eaten by plankton.

Fish consume the plankton and the toxic Fish consume the plankton and the toxic element begins it way up the food chain, element begins it way up the food chain, building up in the tissue of wildlife and building up in the tissue of wildlife and humans.humans.

1gram of mercury pollutes 26 acres of a 1gram of mercury pollutes 26 acres of a lake lake

One gram of mercuryOne gram of mercury

Is sufficient to makeIs sufficient to make

One ton of fishOne ton of fishUnfit for consumption.Unfit for consumption.

RegulationsRegulations

Municipal wastesMunicipal wastes Health care wastesHealth care wastes Industrial and hazardous wastesIndustrial and hazardous wastes Lead batteriesLead batteries

STANDARDSSTANDARDS

Treatment and disposal of Toxic substancesTreatment and disposal of Toxic substances

LandfillsLandfills

Bio Medical waste technologiesBio Medical waste technologies

No law in India !!

Import as much mercury as you need Import as much mercury as you need

( 2000MT)( 2000MT) Sell anywhere you likeSell anywhere you like Dispose anyway you feelDispose anyway you feel

Health care industry is a significant contributor to Mercury pollution.

There are nearly 100 devices, instruments and chemicals used in health care settings that may contain Mercury.

200 million fluorescent lights produced200 million fluorescent lights produced

Means – 400 kg. Mercury thrown out every Means – 400 kg. Mercury thrown out every year, mostly in the citiesyear, mostly in the cities

More than 500,000 thermometers broken in More than 500,000 thermometers broken in one year in hospitals alone in Kerala-500kg of one year in hospitals alone in Kerala-500kg of mercury every year into the soil.mercury every year into the soil.

Absolutely no idea about the harm this Absolutely no idea about the harm this can createcan create

Dental amalgams..Dental amalgams..

Another problem…..not just teething!Another problem…..not just teething!

Pollution from Mercury in Miamata, Japan.