Indium - Precautions and Health Issues

Precautions and Health Issues

Pure indium in metal form is considered nontoxic by most sources. In the welding and semiconductor industries, where indium exposure is relatively high, there have been no reports of any toxic side-effects. Indium compounds, like aluminum compounds, complex with hydroxyls to form insoluble salts in basic conditions, and are thus not well-absorbed from food, giving them fairly low oral toxicty. Soluble indium(III) is toxic when delivered parenterally, however, causing damage primarily to the kidney (both inner and outer parts), but additionally to heart and liver, and may be teratogenic. Other indium compounds are toxic when administered outside the gastrointestinal tract: for example, anhydrous indium trichloride (InCl3) and indium phosphide (InP) are quite toxic when delivered into the lungs (the latter is a suspected carcinogen).

Read more about this topic:  Indium

Famous quotes containing the words precautions, health and/or issues:

    We must take precautions against being prematurely honed sharp—since at the same time we are being prematurely honed thin.
    Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)

    Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
    —Constitution of the World Health Organization.

    The “universal moments” of child rearing are in fact nothing less than a confrontation with the most basic problems of living in society: a facing through one’s children of all the conflicts inherent in human relationships, a clarification of issues that were unresolved in one’s own growing up. The experience of child rearing not only can strengthen one as an individual but also presents the opportunity to shape human relationships of the future.
    Elaine Heffner (20th century)