Glossary of Terms

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Thallium
Symbol: Tl
Atomic Number: 81

Humans are not able to tolerate much thallium in their bodies. Thallium and its salts (thallium nitrate, thallium sulfate, thallium acetate, etc.) enter the body through our food sources, water and air.

Found in the earth's crust, thallium enters the environment primarily from coal-burning and smelting industries as a byproduct. It stays in the air, water and soil for a long time and is not broken down. Some thallium compounds are removed from the atmosphere in rain and snow which then fall to the ground. It's absorbed by plants and enters the food chain. It builds up in fish and shellfish.

Eating food contaminated with thallium is reported as a major source of exposure for most people. Other sources are: breathing workplace air in industries (and industry emissions), smoking cigarettes, living near hazardous waste sites containing thallium, children touching or eating contaminated soil, breathing low levels in the air and drinking contaminated water.

It can be toxic in several ways; one way is that it can substitute for potassium in certain functions within the red blood cells. Thallium has significant toxic effects both with large acute exposure and lower-level, chronic intake. Acute ingestion can result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, bloody diarrhea, and fever. If people survive acute exposure to thallium, complications can affect the kidneys, heart, and nervous system. The kidneys can excrete some ingested thallium; the remainder is stored in the kidney, heart, muscle and brain. Chronic thallium poisoning may cause polyneuritis with an inability to walk, fatigue, weight loss, and possibly reduced immunity.

Since, thallium has no color or taste, thallium acetate has been used as an intentional poison on several known occasions.

Thallium has not been produced in the United Stats since 1984. Currently, thallium is obtained from import and from thallium reserves,

Thallium is used in batteries or semiconductors; optical lenses, photo film, jewelry, dyes and pigments, fireworks, the pharmacuetical industry and medical imaging devices. Until 1975 it was used in pesticides and rodentocides.

Thallium comes from the Greek word thallos, meaning young shoot.

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