What is Thallium?
Pure thallium is a bluish-white metal that is found in trace amounts in the earth’s crust. In the past, thallium was obtained as a by-product from smelting other metals; however, it has not been produced in the United States since 1984. Currently, all the thallium is obtained from imports and from thallium reserves. In its pure form, thallium is odorless and tasteless. It can also be found combined with other substances such as bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine. When it’s combined, it appears colorless-to-white or yellow. Thallium is used mostly in manufacturing electronic devices, switches, and closures, primarily for the semiconductor industry. It also has limited use in the manufacture of special glass and for certain medical procedures.
Thallium is a highly toxic metallic chemical element which is classified among the poor metals. Despite its toxicity, thallium has a number of commercial and industrial uses, although consumers do not interact with it directly. The element is most commonly extracted from the minerals lorandite and crookesite, and it can also be processed to yield useful isotopes. The antidote to thallium ingestion, by the way, is Prussian blue. In a pure form, thallium is silvery white and extremely soft; it can easily be cut with a knife. When exposed to air, the element rapidly tarnishes, turning dull gray to black. The physical properties of thallium resemble those of lead, another element in the poor metals group. On the periodic table of elements, thallium is identified with the symbol Tl, and it has an atomic number of 81. Credit for the discovery of thallium is typically given to Sir William Crookes, who observed its distinctive spectroscopic signature in 1861 and later succeeded in isolating th
It is claimed there was a plot to use thallium against Nelson Mandela Thallium, the substance which has poisoned ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, is a highly-toxic heavy metal. Although it used to be commonly found in rat poisons and insecticides, since the 1970s authorities in many countries have strictly controlled its sale because of its toxic qualities. The salts of thallium are colourless, odourless, tasteless and soluble in water. If they get into the body, they attack the nervous system and internal organs. They also cause hair loss, vomiting, and diarrhoea. The early symptoms of poisoning are often confused with many viral diseases including influenza, delaying its detection. Within three days of being poisoned, victims can suffer headaches, muscle problems, convulsions, coma, delirium, dementia and even psychosis. A dose as small as one gram can lead to death. Tea poisonings Earlier this year, a 17-year-old Japanese schoolgirl was sent to reform school after poison
Pure thallium is a bluish-white metal that is found in trace amounts in the earth’s crust. In the past, thallium was obtained as a by-product from smelting other metals; however, it has not been produced in the United States since 1984. Currently, all the thallium is obtained from imports and from thallium reserves. In its pure form, thallium is odorless and tasteless. It can also be found combined with other substances such as bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine. When it’s combined, it appears colorless-to-white or yellow. Thallium is used mostly in manufacturing electronic devices, switches, and closures, primarily for the semiconductor industry. It also has limited use in the manufacture of special glass and for certain medical procedures. What happens to thallium when it enters the environment? Thallium enters the environment primarily from coal-burning and smelting, in which it is a trace contaminant of the raw materials. It stays in the air, water, and soil for a long time an
This Public Health Statement is the summary chapter from the Toxicological Profile for thallium. It is one in a series of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances and their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQs™, is also available. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. For more information, call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
