Common Causes Of Mercury Contamination

Broken Thermometers

Broken thermometers can expose individuals to liquid mercury, as older thermometers use the metal to measure temperature. The glass bulb at the bottom of the thermometer is filled with mercury. As the temperature increases, the metal expands into the graded tube. Since these thermometers are made of glass, a hard impact can break the tube, spilling mercury onto nearby surfaces. While touching mercury is not recommended, it is not toxic to the touch. In order to pick up as much mercury is possible, it is best to sweep it onto a dustpan with a squeegee. Dabbing the area with duct tape can pick up small particles of the metal as well. It is important to remove as much of the mercury as possible as it will slowly vaporize at room temperature, releasing toxic mercury vapor.

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