Inventory of metallic mercury present in public and private hospitals with a capacity greater than 50 beds, located in Guatemala City

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) is a liquid metal at ordinary temperature, as well as being the only known metal that remains liquid at 0ºC. All its forms (fundamental, organic, and inorganic) are toxic, with a special affinity for the kidney and nervous system (9:719; 21). Even though it is toxic, it has many applications in the health sector, hence the importance of carrying out an inventory of this metal in public and private hospitals with a capacity greater than 50 beds, located in Guatemala City, because it is of the largest health care centers.

The study was descriptive and the information was collected through a survey of the staff of each of the services of the participating hospitals, through which the sources of metallic mercury present in each of the services were identified and quantified the number of each of them. Subsequently, with theoretical data, we proceeded to convert the counted units of each of the sources of the metal in question into grams, to present the results in said unit, thus showing the amount of metallic mercury present in each of the hospitals, for source and by all 12 hospitals included in the study (8 public and 4 private).

The result of the inventory carried out was 26,781 g (26,781 kg) of metallic mercury in the 12 participating hospitals. The main source of metallic mercury was sphygmomanometers (39.09%), followed by thermometers (23.15%) and mercury used in the placement of dental amalgams (21.26%). A direct linear relationship was found between the number of hospital beds and the amount of mercury in each of them, the latter also related to the variety of specialties with the beds that each care center has. It was also possible to conclude that the dentistry, emergency, intensive, surgery and warehouse services are, in general, the hospital areas with the highest load of metallic mercury.