Mercury thermometer will withdraw from the stage of history, mercury pollution problem is expected to be alleviated

[ Focus on Chemical Machinery and Equipment Network ] As a necessary medical equipment for families, mercury thermometers must be familiar to everyone.
It is such a small glass measuring instrument that has become the "sweet and pastry" in the field of temperature measurement medical equipment due to its compactness, portability, accurate temperature measurement, and affordable price.
However, this "master" of temperature measurement has another worrying aspect-once the mercury column inside it leaks, it will cause serious harm to human health and the environment.

 

It is understood that a mercury thermometer contains about 1 gram of mercury.
After being broken, the leaked mercury easily evaporates, which can make the concentration of mercury in the air in a 15-square-meter and 3-meter-high room reach 22.
2 mg.
/cubic meter.
my country stipulates that the maximum allowable concentration of mercury in indoor air is 0.
01 mg/m3.
It is generally believed that people are prone to mercury poisoning in an environment with a mercury concentration of 1.
2-8.
5 mg/m3.

 

Mercury is a heavy metal with high toxicity and easily evaporates.
Once the mercury vapor is inhaled by the human body, it will enter the internal tissues of the human body through the blood circulation, and it will also damage the central nervous system of the human body.
Not only that, the leaked mercury enters the ecological environment and is converted into methyl mercury after being combined with water.
When methylmercury enters the human body, it is easily absorbed and not easily degraded, and excretion is slow.
If a pregnant woman consumes water contaminated with mercury, it will cause irreversible harm to the developing fetus.
In short, mercury will eventually accumulate in our humans as the food chain spreads, thereby threatening * life and health.

 

　　Taking into account the potential mercury hazards of mercury thermometers, many countries have taken banning measures.
As early as 1992, Sweden had banned the sale of all mercury-containing medical equipment.
Subsequently, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark and the Netherlands also banned the use and sale.
However, the production and use of mercury thermometers is not prohibited in our country.
So far, mercury clinical thermometers are still widely used as home thermometers.
According to statistics, my country produces approximately 120 million mercury-containing thermometers every year.
However, every year, more than 10 tons of mercury are treated as waste due to broken mercury thermometers.

 

　　In view of this, the state* recently issued the "Notice of the National General Administration Department on Matters Concerning the Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury" (the "Notice").
The "Notice" pointed out that my country has banned the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers from January 1, 2026.
As soon as this news comes out, it means that the mercury clinical thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers we use every day will be fully launched on the stage of history and become *.

 

　　Mercury thermometers are about to become history, which may be a pity for the general public.
After all, the current cheap and easy-to-use thermometers are non-mercury thermometers.
However, from the perspective of long-term development, it is human beings who ultimately benefit from the ban on the production of mercury thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers.

 

　　As we mentioned above, once the mercury in the mercury thermometer leaks out, it is easy to evaporate and flow into the environment, causing mercury pollution.
The severity of mercury pollution is far beyond our imagination.
In fact, mercury pollution in water bodies caused by human activities not only comes from mercury-containing medical devices, but also waste water discharged from industries such as plastics, batteries, and electronics.
It is estimated that from 1970 to 1979*, the total amount of mercury directly discharged into water bodies due to human activities was about 16,000 tons; the total amount of mercury discharged into the atmosphere was about 100,000 tons; the total mercury discharged into the soil was about 100,000 tons, and the total amount of mercury discharged into the soil was about 100,000 tons.
What goes to the atmosphere and soil will also return to the water body along with the water cycle.

 

　　This is only a record more than 40 years ago.
Now, where is the mercury discharged into the environment? Can we who live at the top of the food chain be able to take care of ourselves? Obviously, the answer is no.
In short, in view of the current severe situation of environmental pollution control, the promulgation of this ban in our country can be said to be not only urgent but necessary.

 

　　Of course, people who are used to mercury thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers do not need to worry about daily temperature and blood pressure measurement.
Nowadays, electronic clinical thermometers and infrared clinical thermometers are successively launched on the market.
Among them, the electronic thermometer is suitable for daily life, and the infrared thermometer is suitable for fixed-point temperature measurement of large-scale population.
As long as the measurement method is correct and appropriate, these electronic temperature measuring instruments can also measure accurate values.

 

　　Source reference: Tencent, Baidu Baike
 

　　Original title: Mercury thermometer will withdraw from the stage of history, mercury pollution problem is expected to be alleviated