After Rang Dong fire, what should you do to avoid inhaling mercury in the air?

The fire at Rang Dong Company on August 29 has raised concerns about mercury in production leaking into the environment, causing harm to people's health.

A serious fire in a light bulb company has created large amounts of dust and toxic substances, potentially threatening the health of the people around them. According to experts, each bulb has several milligrams of mercury, with the amount prescribed at a relatively safe level. If a light bulb breaks, it does not cause great harm to human health. However, when a large number of light bulbs burst, the risk of mercury being released into the air is very high.

In addition to mercury, smoke from this fire may be accompanied by phosphorus, zinc powder, and some other chemicals. These substances are also harmful to human health.

How to prevent mercury inhalation in the air?

Experts need to measure to know if the fire area is contaminated with these substances. From there make reasonable recommendations to protect the health of the neighborhood.

Currently, people are recommended by the authorities to wash their eyes, nose and mouth daily with sodium chloride solution 4-6 times a day for 7-10 days from the occurrence of the fire.

According to Dr. Nguyen Duc Thang (Department of Rehabilitation, Traditional Medicine Hospital), to avoid poisoning due to environmental pollution, or to avoid breathing in mercury in the air, pedestrians should wear a password. full page. Facemasks must meet high standards, preferably medical masks or active masks, but if wearing only regular masks sold in the market at a price of 5,000 - 10,000 VND, it cannot prevent mercury. only prevent bacteria in the dust.

In addition, people are advised not to use food such as vegetables, fruits, fruits, poultry, fish and pigs raised within a radius of 1km from the center of the fire. Do not use water in open tanks within 1km radius.

Evacuate children, the elderly, the sick out of areas affected by the fire 1-10 days to limit the impact.

People are also asked to change and wash all clothes contaminated with fire and smoke by washing several times and then soaking in hot water of 70-80 degrees; washing water containers, daily life items with dust.

Destroy self-grown vegetables and fruits within a radius of 500m from the center of a fire.

How dangerous is breathing in mercury in the air?

On the Rang Dong plant's website, it states: 'The principle of fluorescent light bulbs requires a certain amount of mercury to glow. Rang Dong fluorescent lamp T8 uses mercury amalgam '.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Hong Con (University of Science, VNU Hanoi) liquid elemental mercury is less toxic, if in the form of vapor or compound, salt is very toxic and is the cause of brain and liver damage when people are in contact, breathe, eat. Air at room temperature can saturate mercury vapor many times higher than allowed. If inhaled gas containing mercury, mercury will be rapidly absorbed through the respiratory tract, through the alveolar membrane into the bloodstream to the kidneys, liver spleen and central nervous system.

Associate Professor Con said that inhaling mercury can cause acute severe lung disease, causing the victim to cough, shortness of breath, chest tightness and a burning sensation in the lungs. In addition, it causes memory loss, stomatitis, drowsiness, convulsions, vomiting and enteritis. In some cases it can cause acute poisoning, respiratory failure, even death if exposed to high amounts of mercury.

In addition, mercury is a bioaccumulating toxin that is easily absorbed through the skin, respiratory and digestive organs. Inorganic compounds are less toxic than mercury organic compounds. Although less toxic than its compounds, mercury creates significant environmental pollution because of the formation of organic compounds in the organism. One of its most toxic compounds is dimethyl mercury, so toxic that only a few micrometers fall into the skin and can be fatal.