The Application and Industry Transformation of Mercury in Medical Devices​

In the development history of medical devices, mercury has once occupied a pivotal position, especially in the application of clinical thermometers and sphygmomanometers, playing a key role.​

Clinical thermometers, as common medical tools in hospitals, clinics and even households, have long relied on the unique physical properties of mercury. When the thermometer comes into contact with the human body, the body temperature is transferred to the mercury inside the thermometer. Based on the thermal expansion property of mercury, its volume will expand uniformly with the increase of body temperature, accurately presenting the corresponding body temperature value on the scale of the thermometer. This property provides a reliable basis for medical staff to diagnose whether patients have a fever and continuously monitor their conditions.​

Sphygmomanometers, especially traditional mercury sphygmomanometers, also achieve accurate measurement of blood pressure with the help of mercury. The principle is that pressure is applied to the upper limb through an airbag. When the pressure balances with the blood pressure in the artery, the mercury column rises to a corresponding height under the action of pressure. Medical staff convert the pressure generated by blood flow into intuitive blood pressure readings according to the position of the mercury column on the dial. This is crucial for detecting hypertension, hypotension and various cardiovascular problems, making mercury an indispensable element in the field of blood pressure measurement.​

However, with the progress of science and technology and the deepening of people's awareness of health and the environment, the toxicity of mercury has gradually become prominent. Mercury vapor and its compounds are highly toxic. Once inhaled or ingested by the human body, they will cause serious damage to important organs such as the nervous system and liver. During the use of medical devices, if thermometers or sphygmomanometers are damaged, mercury leakage will bring great risks. For example, in some medical institutions, there have been cases where improper handling of mercury leakage led to exposure of medical staff and patients to mercury vapor, which in turn caused health problems.​

In view of the hazards of mercury, a global wave of transformation towards mercury-free medical devices has been set off. Many countries and regions have introduced policies to restrict or prohibit the use of mercury in medical devices. Take China as an example. According to the "Minamata Convention on Mercury", the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers will be completely banned from January 1, 2026.​

At the same time, the development of science and technology has provided a solid support for the mercury-free transformation of medical devices. New temperature measuring devices such as electronic thermometers, forehead thermometers and ear thermometers are constantly emerging. They are not only easy to carry and use quickly, but also avoid the risk of mercury leakage. In the field of blood pressure measurement, electronic sphygmomanometers, with their advantages of simple operation and rapid measurement, have gradually become the mainstream in the market, effectively replacing traditional mercury sphygmomanometers.​

Although the trend of mercury-free medical devices is irresistible, there are still many challenges in the transformation process. On the one hand, for some medical institutions and people who rely on traditional mercury-containing medical devices, it will take some time to promote and adapt to new devices; on the other hand, how to properly handle waste mercury-containing medical devices to avoid secondary pollution to the environment is also an urgent problem to be solved.​

Looking forward to the future, the medical device industry will continue to develop in the direction of mercury-free, intelligent and precise. With the continuous innovation of technology, we have reason to believe that safer and more efficient medical devices will continue to emerge, injecting new vitality into the development of global medical and health undertakings.

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