Thallium
Thallium is a chemical element with the symbol Tl and atomic number 81. It is a gray post-transition metal that is not found free in nature. When isolated, thallium resembles tin, but discolors when exposed to air.
Properties[edit | edit source]
Thallium is soft and malleable and has a low melting point. It is a highly toxic metal with many uses.
History[edit | edit source]
Thallium was discovered by William Crookes in 1861. He noticed the new green spectral line and concluded that a new element was present. Later, Claude-Auguste Lamy used a spectrometer that was similar to Crookes to determine the properties of the new element.
Occurrence[edit | edit source]
Thallium is not a rare element; it is 10 times more abundant than silver. The metal is found in the ores of many minerals but is not found as a free element.
Applications[edit | edit source]
The main source of thallium for practical purposes is the byproduct of refining heavy metal sulfide ores. Thallium is also used in electronic devices, switches, and closures, primarily for its electrical conductivity.
Health effects[edit | edit source]
Thallium and its compounds are extremely toxic, and contact with skin is dangerous. Thallium poisoning can occur through skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
| Thallium Resources | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| |
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
