How dangerous is mercury poisoning to human health?

Before the question of the risk of the impact from the warehouse fire of Rang Dong Company on the specific people's health like ?, Dr. Nguyen said, in ordinary fires, people in close contact with the fire. There are often risks: inhalation of heat, which can cause respiratory burns, inhalation of toxic fumes because smoke can contain toxic substances .

Particularly with the fire at Rang Dong Company, the current issue that many people are worried about is mercury poisoning, Dr. Nguyen affirmed that all these worries are just judgments and thoughts to monitor. .

'To determine more clearly, the authorities will have assessments and observations on the environment, water sources . then it can be officially assessed,' said Dr. Nguyen.

However, according to Dr. Nguyen, through analysis, in the production of fluorescent lamps using a certain amount of mercury. Normally, the risk of mercury poisoning from light bulbs is very low, even when light bulbs break down. However, in the hot temperature condition of a fire, mercury can evaporate into the air, inhaling very dangerous.

Whether or not people living around the site of the fire or breathing in the toxic gas of the fire will be affected by mercury poisoning depends on many factors, especially the mercury concentration being poisoned; time of exposure to toxic gases; or other factors such as people near the fire area but favorable with the wind or the wind direction; the age of the victim; access to victims' fires .

Experts said that mercury is a volatile metal, mercury vapor is colorless and odorless. When poured, mercury splits into small droplets and spreads widely. Droplets can evaporate at a faster rate under ventilation. The evaporation rate of elemental mercury doubles when the temperature rises by 10 ° C.

In our country, the permissible limits for mercury in the working air are specified in the Health Ministry's Decision No. 3733/2002 / QD-BYT of October 10, 2002.

Mercury does not decompose and exists in the environment. When released into the air, it circulates in air, soil, and water, forming complex chemical compounds and transforming physics into different forms of mercury.

Elemental mercury is the most common form of mercury in the air. In aquatic systems, mercury is converted into an organic form of methyl mercury, which is more toxic than inorganic and bioaccumulating in fish and wildlife and into the food chain.

Mercury is a liquid metal that is difficult to break down in the environment and bioaccumulates in the food chain. Mercury is less toxic, but slightly toxic, its compounds and salts are toxic, can cause damage to the nervous system, digestive, respiratory, immune system and kidneys. Although less toxic than its compounds, mercury creates significant environmental pollution because it produces organic compounds in the organism.

Acute mercury poisoning is often caused by accidents such as broken containers, fires, high concentrations of mercury vapor that seriously affect the breathing, causing bronchitis, diffuse interstitial pneumonia.

People with acute mercury poisoning can cause nephritis, fasting blood protein (4-5g urea / l), decreased blood chlorine, acidosis. Cause mouth ulcers, gastrointestinal burns, vomiting blood, whole body collapse. Victims have difficulty breathing, cramps, muscle twitching, delirium, patients usually die within 24 to 36 hours.

Occupational mercury poisoning: A person exposed to low concentrations, but for a long time, symptoms appear mainly on the digestive system and nervous system. There are also effects on the respiratory system, urinary .

Gastrointestinal symptoms such as enteritis, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, gingivitis, accompanied by an unpleasant bitter taste, stomatitis, mucosal ulcers, and a blue mercury border can be seen at the margin of gums.

Neurological symptoms such as willful tremor; Parkinson's disease with tremor during rest and decreased motor function.

Chronic exposure to mercury can cause eyelid tremor and visual disturbances, conjunctivitis, narrowing the market.

Mercury can cause cancer, genetic modification and teratogenicity.