Causes of thallium poisoning, symptoms and treatment. Thallium poisoning Thallium in water

Thallium(lat. thallium), tl, chemical element III groups periodic table Mendeleev, atomic number 81, atomic mass 204.37; on a fresh cut there is gray shiny metal; refers to rare trace elements. In nature, the element is represented by two stable isotopes 203 tl (29.5%) and 205 tl (70.5%) and radioactive isotopes 207 tl - 210 tl - members radioactive series. Radioactive isotopes 202 tl (t 1/2 = 12.5) were artificially obtained days) , 204 tl (t 1/2 = 4.26 years) and 206 tl (t 1/2 = 4.19 min) . T. opened in 1861. Crookes in sludge from sulfuric acid production using the spectroscopic method along the characteristic green line in the spectrum (hence the name: from the Greek thall o s - young, green branch). In 1862, the French chemist C. O. Lamy first isolated T. and established its metallic nature.

Distribution in nature. Average content of T. in earth's crust(Clark) 4.5 ? 10 -5% by mass, but due to extreme dispersion its role in natural processes is small. In nature, compounds of monovalent and less commonly trivalent T are found. Like alkali metals, T is concentrated in the upper part of the earth’s crust - in the granite layer (average content 1.5 × 10–4%), in basic rocks it is less (2 × 10 –5%), and in ultrabasic ones only 1? 10–6%. Only seven T. minerals are known (for example, cruxite, lorandite, vrbaite, etc.), all of them are extremely rare. T. has the greatest geochemical similarity with K, rb, cs, as well as with pb, ag, cu, bi . T. easily migrates in the biosphere. From natural waters it is sorbed by coals, clays, manganese hydroxides, and accumulates during water evaporation (for example, in Lake Sivash up to 5 × 10 –8 g/l) .

Physical and chemical properties. T. is a soft metal, easily oxidizes in air and quickly tarnishes. T. at a pressure of 0.1 Mn/m 2 (1 kgf/cm 2) and temperatures below 233 °C has a hexagonal close-packed lattice ( A= 3.4496 å; With= 5.5137 å), above 233 °C - body-centered cubic ( A= 4.841 å), at high pressures 3.9 Gn/m 2 (39000 kgf/cm 2) - face-centered cubic; density 11.85 G/ cm 3; atomic radius 1.71 å, ionic radii: tl + 1.49 å, tl 3+ 1.05 å; t pl 303.6 °C; t bale 1457 °C, specific heat capacity 0.130 kjl(kg? k) . Electrical resistivity at 0°C (18 × 10 –6 ohm? cm); temperature coefficient electrical resistance 5.177? 10 –3 - 3.98 ? 10 –3 (0-100 °C). The temperature of transition to the superconducting state is 2.39 K. The temperature is diamagnetic, its specific magnetic susceptibility is -0.249? 10 –6 (30 °C).

External configuration electron shell atom tl 6 s 2 6 p 1 ; in compounds it has an oxidation state of +1 and +3. T. interacts with oxygen and halogens already at room temperature, and with sulfur and phosphorus when heated. It dissolves well in nitric acids, less so in sulfuric acids, and does not dissolve in hydrogen halides, formic, oxalic and acetic acids. Does not interact with alkali solutions; freshly distilled water, which does not contain oxygen, has no effect on T. The main compounds with oxygen are oxide tl 2 o and oxide tl 2 o 3.

T. oxide and tl salts (i) nitrate, sulfate, carbonate - soluble; chromate, dichromate, halides (with the exception of fluoride), as well as T. oxide, are slightly soluble in water. tl(iii) forms big number complex compounds with inorganic and organic ligands. Tl(iii) halides are highly soluble in water. Greatest practical significance have tl(i) connections.

Receipt. On an industrial scale, technical metal is obtained as a by-product from the processing of sulfide ores of non-ferrous metals and iron. It is extracted from semi-products of lead, zinc and copper production. The choice of raw material processing method depends on its composition. For example, to extract T. and other valuable components from lead production dust, the material is sulfated in a fluidized bed at 300-350 °C. The resulting sulfate mass is leached with water and extracted from the solution with T. 50% solution of tributyl phosphate in kerosene containing iodine, and then re-extracted with sulfuric acid (300 g/l) with the addition of 3% hydrogen peroxide. The metal is isolated from re-extracts by cementation on zinc sheets. After melting under a layer of caustic soda, T. is obtained with a purity of 99.99%. For deeper metal purification, electrolytic refining and crystallization purification are used.

Application. In technology, T. is used mainly in the form of compounds. Single crystals of solid solutions of halides tibr - tli and tlcl - tlbr (known in technology as KRS-5 and KRS-6) are used for the manufacture of optical parts in infrared devices; tlcl and tlcl-tlbr crystals - as radiators for Cherenkov counters. tl 2 o is a component of some optical glasses; sulfides, oxysulfides, selenides, tellurides - components of semiconductor materials used in the manufacture of photoresistors, semiconductor rectifiers, vidicons. An aqueous solution of a mixture of formic and malonic acid (heavy Clerici liquid) is widely used to separate minerals by density. T. amalgam, which hardens at –59 °C, is used in low-temperature thermometers. Metal T. is used to produce bearing and low-melting alloys, as well as in oxygen meters to determine oxygen in water. 204tl is used as a source of b-radiation in radioisotope devices.

T. I. Darvoyd.

Thallium in the body. T. is constantly present in the tissues of plants and animals. In soils its average content is 10–5%, in sea water 10–9%, in animal organisms 4? 10–5%. In mammals, T. is well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, accumulating mainly in the spleen and muscles. In humans, the daily intake of T. from food and water is about 1.6 mcg, with air - 0.05 mcg. The biological role of T. in the body has not been clarified. Moderately toxic to plants and highly toxic to mammals and humans.

Poisoning T. and its compounds are possible upon their preparation and practical use. T. enters the body through the respiratory organs, intact skin and digestive tract. It is excreted from the body over a long period of time, mainly through urine and feces. Acute, subacute and chronic poisoning have a similar clinical picture, differing in the severity and speed of onset of symptoms. In acute cases, after 1-2 days signs of damage to the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation) and respiratory tract appear. In 2-3 weeks Hair loss and vitamin deficiency symptoms are observed (smoothing of the mucous membrane of the tongue, cracks in the corners of the mouth, etc.). In severe cases, polyneuritis, mental disorders, visual impairment, etc. may develop. Prevention of occupational poisoning: mechanization of production processes, sealing of equipment, ventilation, use of personal protective equipment.

L.P. Shabalika.

Lit.: Chemistry and technology of rare and trace elements, ed. K. A. Bolshakova, vol. 1, [M., 1965]; 3elikman A. N., Meerson G. A., Metallurgy of rare metals, M., 1973; Thallium and its use in modern technology, M., 1968; Tikhova G.S., Darvoyd T.I., Recommendations for industrial sanitation and safety precautions when working with thallium and its compounds, in the collection: Rare Metals, v. 2, M., 1964; Bowen N.y. M., trace elements in biochemistry, l.-n. y., 1966.

Israelson Z.I., Mogilevskaya O.Ya., Suvorove. V. Issues of occupational hygiene and occupational pathology when working with rare metals, M., 1973.

Thallium(lat.

thallium), tl, chemical element of group III of the periodic system of Mendeleev, atomic number 81, atomic mass 204.37; on a fresh cut there is gray shiny metal; refers to rare trace elements.

In nature, the element is represented by two stable isotopes 203 tl (29.5%) and 205 tl (70.5%) and radioactive isotopes 207 tl - 210 tl - members of the radioactive series. The radioactive isotopes 202 tl (t 1/2 = 12.5 days), 204 tl (t 1/2 = 4.26 years) and 206 tl (t 1/2 = 4.19 min) were artificially obtained.

T. was discovered in 1861 by W. Crookes in the sludge of sulfuric acid production using the spectroscopic method using a characteristic green line in the spectrum (hence the name: from the Greek thall o s - young, green branch). In 1862, the French chemist C. O. Lamy first isolated T. and established its metallic nature.

in the earth's crust (clark) 4.5? 10 -5% by mass, but due to extreme dispersion its role in natural processes is small. In nature, compounds of monovalent and, less frequently, trivalent T are found. Like alkali metals, T is concentrated in the upper part of the earth’s crust - in the granite layer (average content 1.5 ?

10–4%), in basic rocks it is less (2 × 10–5%), and in ultramafic rocks only 1 ? 10–6%. Only seven T. minerals are known (for example, cruxite, lorandite, vrbaite, etc.), all of them are extremely rare. T. has the greatest geochemical similarity with K, rb, cs, as well as with pb, ag, cu, bi. T. easily migrates in the biosphere. From natural waters it is sorbed by coals, clays, manganese hydroxides, and accumulates during water evaporation (for example, in Lake Sivash up to 5?

10 –8 g/l).

Physical and chemical properties. T. is a soft metal, easily oxidizes in air and quickly tarnishes. T. at a pressure of 0.1 MN/m2 (1 kgf/cm2) and a temperature below 233 °C has a hexagonal close-packed lattice (a = 3.4496 å; c = 5.5137 å), above 233 °C - body-centered cubic (a = 4.841 å), at high pressures 3.9 H/m 2 (39,000 kgf/cm 2) - face-centered cubic; density 11.85 g/cm3; atomic radius 1.71 å, ionic radii: tl + 1.49 å, tl 3+ 1.05 å; t pl 303.6 °C; boiling point 1457 °C, specific heat capacity 0.130 kJl (kg?

k) . Electrical resistivity at 0°C (18 × 10–6 ohm? cm); temperature coefficient of electrical resistance 5.177? 10 –3 - 3.98 ?

10 –3 (0-100 °C). The temperature of transition to the superconducting state is 2.39 K. The temperature is diamagnetic, its specific magnetic susceptibility is -0.249? 10 –6 (30 °C).

Configuration of the outer electron shell of the atom tl 6 s 2 6 p 1 ; in compounds it has an oxidation state of +1 and +3. T. interacts with oxygen and halogens already at room temperature, and with sulfur and phosphorus when heated. It dissolves well in nitric acids, less so in sulfuric acids, and does not dissolve in hydrogen halides, formic, oxalic and acetic acids.

Does not interact with alkali solutions; freshly distilled water, which does not contain oxygen, has no effect on T. The main compounds with oxygen are oxide tl 2 o and oxide tl 2 o 3.

T. oxide and tl salts (i) nitrate, sulfate, carbonate - soluble; chromate, dichromate, halides (with the exception of fluoride), as well as T. oxide, are slightly soluble in water. tl (iii) forms a large number of complex compounds with inorganic and organic ligands.

Tl(iii) halides are highly soluble in water. The connections tl (i) are of greatest practical importance.

Receipt. On an industrial scale, technical T.

obtained as a by-product from the processing of sulfide ores of non-ferrous metals and iron. It is extracted from semi-products of lead, zinc and copper production. The choice of raw material processing method depends on its composition.

For example, to extract T. and other valuable components from lead production dust, the material is sulfated in a fluidized bed at 300-350 °C. The resulting sulfate mass is leached with water and extracted from the solution with a 50% solution of tributyl phosphate in kerosene containing iodine, and then re-extracted with sulfuric acid (300 g/l) with the addition of 3% hydrogen peroxide.

The metal is isolated from re-extracts by cementation on zinc sheets. After melting under a layer of caustic soda, T. is obtained with a purity of 99.99%.

For deeper metal purification, electrolytic refining and crystallization purification are used.

tl 2 o is a component of some optical glasses; sulfides, oxysulfides, selenides, tellurides - components of semiconductor materials used in the manufacture of photoresistors, semiconductor rectifiers, vidicons. An aqueous solution of a mixture of formic and malonic acid (heavy Clerici liquid) is widely used to separate minerals by density. T. amalgam, which hardens at –59 °C, is used in low-temperature thermometers. Metal T. is used to produce bearing and low-melting alloys, as well as in oxygen meters to determine oxygen in water.

204tl is used as a source of b-radiation in radioisotope devices.

T. I. Darvoyd.

In humans, the daily intake of T. from food and water is about 1.6 mcg, and from air - 0.05 mcg. The biological role of T. in the body has not been clarified. Moderately toxic to plants and highly toxic to mammals and humans.

Poisoning T. and its compounds are possible upon their preparation and practical use. T. enters the body through the respiratory organs, intact skin and digestive tract.

It is excreted from the body over a long period of time, mainly through urine and feces. Acute, subacute and chronic poisoning have a similar clinical picture, differing in the severity and speed of onset of symptoms. In acute cases, after 1-2 days, signs of damage to the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation) and respiratory tract appear. After 2-3 weeks, hair loss and symptoms of vitamin deficiency (smoothing of the mucous membrane of the tongue, cracks in the corners of the mouth, etc.) are observed.

d.). In severe cases, polyneuritis, mental disorders, visual impairment, etc. may develop. Prevention of occupational poisoning: mechanization of production processes, sealing of equipment, ventilation, use of personal protective equipment.

L.P. Shabalika.

Lit.: Chemistry and technology of rare and trace elements, ed. K. A. Bolshakova, vol. 1, [M., 1965]; 3elikman A. N., Meerson G. A., Metallurgy of rare metals, M., 1973; Thallium and its application in modern technology, M., 1968; Tikhova G.

S., Darvoyd T.I., Recommendations for industrial sanitation and safety precautions when working with thallium and its compounds, in the collection: Rare Metals, v. 2, M., 1964; Bowen N.y. M., trace elements in biochemistry, l.-n. y., 1966.

Israelson Z.I., Mogilevskaya O.Ya., Suvorove. V. Issues of occupational hygiene and occupational pathology when working with rare metals, M., 1973.

Physicochemical properties of thallium and its compounds

Thallium is a silvery-white soft metal that was discovered spectroscopically in 1861 by W. Grookes and independently by A. Lamy in 1862.

Ten deadly poisons and their effects on humans

by the characteristic green pine in the spectrum (tallos - green bud). The chemical properties of thallium are determined by its belonging to the secondary group of a-transition metals of group III elements of the periodic table.

The atomic weight of thallium is 204.39, atomic number 81, density 11.85 g/cm°. Melting point 303 C, boiling point 1460 ° C.

The vapor pressure of thallium at a temperature of 825°C is 1, at 983°C - 10, at 1040°C - 20. at 1457°C - 760 mmHg. Art. IN chemical compounds it acts as a monovalent or trivalent metal, forming two types of compounds - oxide and oxide. In air, thallium becomes covered with a film of nitrous oxide; at 100°C it quickly oxidizes to form TI2O and Tl2O3. Reacts with chlorine, bromine and iodine at room temperature. When interacting with alcohols, it forms alcoholates.

Easily dissolves in HNO3. There are salts of both mono- and trivalent thallium (V.K. Grigorovich, 1970). Thallium is a rare trace element. The nature of its distribution in nature is determined by its proximity chemical properties and the sizes of ionic radii for alkali metals, as well as for calcophile elements.

Commercial sulfide concentrates (sphalerite, galena, pyrite and marxcite) are of industrial importance as sources of raw materials for the production of thallium. Thallium is not extracted directly from ores and concentrates containing it in quantities not exceeding thousandths of a percent.

The raw materials for its industrial production are waste and intermediate products from the production of non-ferrous metals. The thallium content in these materials varies widely (from hundredths of a percent to whole percent) and depends not only on the thappium content in the feedstock, but also on the nature of production and the adopted technology for obtaining the base metal.

Thus, the extraction of thallium is associated with complex processing of raw materials and is carried out along the way with the production of other metals. When the concentration of thallium in the processed raw materials is low, the technology for its production at the first stage usually comes down to the production of tappium concentrate, which is then processed into industrial metal or its substances.

In the Soviet Union, thallium production was organized at a number of lead and zinc plants (T.I. Darvoyd et al., 1968).

Thallium oxides

There are 3 known compounds of thallium with oxygen: oxide - Tl2O, oxide - Tlg2O3 and peroxide -Tl2O3 (little studied).

Table 1

Thallium oxide and oxide sublime at elevated temperatures.

The oxide does not dissolve in water and dissociates when heated; oxide easily dissolves in water to form a strong alkali - Tl(OH), with ethyl alcohol it forms an alcoholate (C2H5)TlO.

TlO interacts with Si02, corroding glass and porcelain. The hydroxide - Tl(OH)3 - is precipitated by alkalis from solutions of trivalent thallium salts; it is insoluble in water and slowly dissolves in mineral acids.

Thallium salts

Halide compounds. Thallium forms monovalent and trivalent compounds with chlorine, bromine and iodine, but so far mainly monovalent compounds are used.

table 2

The characteristic properties of these compounds are low solubility in water, significant vapor pressure, and increased photosensitivity.

Thallium halide salts are usually obtained by precipitation from aqueous solutions of its salts. Potassium and sodium halide salts are used as precipitants.

Dry thallium chloride is a white powder, bromide is light yellow, and iodide is bright yellow; fused thallium chloride is colorless, and bromide and iodide are colored the same colors as the powders.

Thallium halide salts are slightly soluble in alcohol, acetone and gasoline; acids (nitric and sulfuric) dissolve halide salts, especially when heated, with their partial decomposition.

Thallium sulfate. TI2SO4 is a white crystalline substance, soluble in water (at 20 C-48.7 g/l), with sulfites of other metals it forms double salts, melting point 645 ° C.

Thallium carbonate - thallium carbonate - TI2CO3 - white crystalline powder. Molecular weight 468.75; slightly soluble in cold water and soluble in boiling water.

The aqueous solution has a strongly alkaline reaction, the melting point is 272-273°C; upon melting, a red-brown mass is formed, which after cooling becomes yellow.

Clerici liquid is formic-malonic acid thallium 2T1(HCOO) Tl2(HC-COO-COO), light amber color, odorless, specific gravity 4.25 g/cm, easily decomposes in the light at room temperature, so store the liquid in a dark place dishes

The molecular weight of the anhydrous drug is 1009.56 (according to international atomic weights 1961).

Thallium and its compounds are used in various fields of science and technology. The value of this metal is determined by a number of useful properties that make it indispensable in many processes and devices.

Currently, there are (T.N. Darvoyd et al., 1968) two most promising areas of thallium use in terms of scale of consumption: the production of heavy liquids and the production of optical glasses. The most commonly used thallium compounds in industry include the following.

1. Single crystals KRS-5 and KRS-6 are unique optical materials that have high transparency in the far infrared region of the spectrum, combined with moisture resistance. These crystals are widely used in infrared devices, including devices operating in atmospheric conditions, where the use of other known crystals (NaCl, Csl, etc.) is impossible.

2. Thallium oxide is a component for the production of certain brands of optical glasses with unusual optical constants.

3. Heavy liquid Clerici - an aqueous solution of a mixture of thallium salts, compared to other heavy liquids, has the highest specific gravity (4.25), greater mobility and the ability to mix with water in any proportions.

Clerici liquid has been widely used for several decades in mineralogical analyzes and geopogo-mineralogical studies of rocks and ores.

4. Of all metal alloys, thallium amalgam (8.35% Tl) has the lowest solidification temperature -59°C, and with small additions of indium -63.3°C. This property of thallium amalgam is used in low temperature thermometers and for other circuits where liquid metal is required at low temperatures.

5. T1C1 single crystals - used as radiators for spectrophotometric Cherenkov counters, used to register high-energy particles.

6. Thallium sulfides, selenides and tellurides are components of many complex semiconductors (cytoconductors, thermal materials, glassy semiconductors).

Some of them are used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices (semiconductor rectifiers, photoresistors, vidicons).

7. Thallium acetate and sulfate - in some cases used in the production of poisons for rodents (celiopaste, etc.), insecticides and pesticides.

8. Thallium carbonate - used for the manufacture of glass, artificial precious stones and in pyrotechnics; nitrate - in the production of luminous paints.

Due to the fact that workers in a number of industries have contact with thallium, the biological and toxic effects of thallium and its compounds on people are of obvious interest.

Not only potential attackers, but also ordinary Internet users ask about how to poison a person with poison. Today, the pharmaceutical market offers consumers a variety of medications, some of which are available for purchase without a prescription.

There are also toxic substances that can quickly eliminate an opponent or, conversely, provoke a chronic disease.

Age-old knowledge and modern technologies become dangerous weapons in the hands of competent people.

Potassium cyanide is known to almost everyone; at the beginning of the 20th century, the dangerous powder was a common way to get rid of unwanted persons.

The poison belongs to the group of hydrocyanic acid derivatives and is highly soluble in water. Some sources indicate a specific smell of this substance, however, not all people are able to smell it. Potassium cyanide causes poisoning if ingested, and it is also dangerous to inhale powder particles and solution vapors. The lethal dose of poison is only a few grams, but in most cases it depends on the weight and individual characteristics of the body.

Potassium cyanide can quickly poison a person.

Death is affected by the route of entry of the substance into the body, so when particles are inhaled, the effect of the toxin manifests itself instantly, and when it enters the stomach, the poison begins to cause irreversible consequences after 15 minutes.

The victim goes through several stages of intoxication. At first, a sore throat is felt, then nausea and vomiting begins, and possible numbness of the throat.

Over time, general weakness increases, a feeling of fear arises, and the pulse slows down. Subsequently, signs such as convulsions and loss of consciousness are noted. As a rule, if a sufficient dose of poison is ingested, a person dies within 4 hours.

With the arrival of new drugs on the pharmaceutical market, people are interested in how to poison a person with pills.

The list of dangerous poisons if used incorrectly includes the following medications:

sleeping pill "Phenazepam";
hellebore water;
Corvalol drops.

The medicine "Phenazepam" is prescribed by doctors as a remedy against insomnia, panic attacks and stress.

Thallium poisoning

It refers to psychotropic medications, and offenders use this drug to poison a person in their sleep.

Like many other drugs, Phenazepam is incompatible with alcohol - this is what criminals take advantage of, since the combined use of these tablets and alcohol leads to respiratory arrest and death.

But it is not easy to get the described drug, since it is sold only with a doctor’s prescription.

Hellebore water is freely sold in pharmacies and is used not only in traditional medicine, but also as a remedy against alcohol addiction. However, some cases of intentional intoxication are not taken into account, which is why this medicine is suitable for those who want to poison a person without identifying the poison.

Lethal outcome occurs when ingested for 2 years.

raw materials, hellebore water negatively affects heart function and blood pressure. Thus, the oxygen supply to the brain gradually decreases.

As a rule, alcohol accelerates the absorption of poison and signs of intoxication with hellebore water develop within 20 minutes after taking the product. Vomiting begins, and symptoms such as extreme thirst, slow heart rate, and mental disturbances are also noted.

Death occurs on average after 8 hours; this medicine allows criminals to poison a person without determining the exact cause of death.

Corvalol drops can be purchased at any pharmacy, which makes them an affordable and effective medicine for poisoning.

The lethal dose of the drug depends on the weight and age of the person, on average it is 150 drops.

Intoxication is characterized by prolonged sleep, decreased blood pressure and dilated pupils.

The combined use of this drug with alcohol is especially dangerous; in this case, tachycardia appears and the skin turns blue.

Poisoning a person slowly using Corvalol drops will most likely not work; death occurs within 24 hours, which is taken advantage of by various asocial elements of society.

Chemical compounds of thallium

Properties of thallium and its compounds

Brief historical background on thallium

Thallium was discovered in 1861 by the English physicist Crookes in the chamber sludge of sulfuric acid plants. It was detected by a characteristic green line in the spectrum.

Thallium belongs to the third group of the Periodic Table.

Atomic number 81

Atomic mass 204.89

Density, g/cm3 11.83

Melting point, °C 303

Boiling point, °C 1406

Normal electrode potential, V -0.336

α-thallium is stable up to 230 °C; above this temperature the β-modification is stable.

Thallium is a soft, silvery-white, fusible metal.

However, it has a high boiling point.

In air at ordinary temperatures, it quickly becomes covered with a black film of thallium oxide Tl2O, which slows down further oxidation; above 100 ºC, the metal quickly oxidizes to form a mixture of Tl2O and T12O3.

In water, thallium slowly corrodes in the presence of oxygen.

The metal dissolves in nitric acid and more slowly in sulfuric acid.

Thallium is slightly soluble in hydrochloric acid due to the formation of a protective film of thallium chloride. Thallium does not dissolve in alkali solutions.

The metal reacts with chlorine, bromine and iodine already at room temperature.

Thallium is characterized by compounds in which it has an oxidation state of +1; compounds corresponding to the oxidation state +3 are less stable.

Compounds with the oxidation state of thallium +1 are similar in a number of properties to compounds of alkali metals and silver.

Tl2O - tmelt=330 ºС, dissolves in H2O to form TlOH.

Tl2O3 - tmelt=716 ºС, black-brown, at temperatures above 716 ºС it decomposes into Tl2O.

Tl2S – melting point = 450 ºС, poorly soluble in HCl, at temperatures above 600 ºС it is easily oxidized.

The similarity with alkali metals is manifested in the formation by monovalent thallium of the highly soluble hydroxide TlOH, which has the properties of a strong base; formation of soluble sulfate, carbonate, ferrocyanide and double sulfates such as alum.

The similarity with silver lies in the formation by thallium of poorly soluble halides (solubility decreases in the series TlCl-T1Br-T1I); the formation of poorly soluble Tl2СrO4 and Тl2Сr2O7 chromates and Tl2S sulfide.

However, unlike silver ions, T1+ ions do not form ammonia complexes. To oxidize T1+ ions to T13+ in aqueous solutions, strong oxidizing agents such as chlorine or potassium permanganate are used.

T1(OH)3 precipitates from solutions at pH = 3 - 4.

When working with thallium, it is necessary to take into account the toxicity of its compounds.

Thallium and its compounds are used in various fields of technology:

Infrared optics.

Thallium bromide and iodide (thallium chloride) are used to make windows, lenses, prisms, cuvettes of optical devices operating in the infrared region of the spectrum.

Semiconductor electronics. Thallium compounds have good insulating properties and are used in the manufacture of transistors and insulating coatings.

Instrumentation. The radioactive isotope T1240 (half-life 2.7 years) is used as a source of β-radiation in flaw detectors for monitoring the quality of materials, measuring the thickness of products and coatings.

Alloys.

Thallium is a component of some lead-based bearing alloys. Alloying lead alloys with thallium increases their corrosion resistance.

Agriculture. Thallium sulfate is used as a pesticide.

Popular library of chemical elements

Thallium

81
	3 18 32 18 8 2
THALLIUM
204,37
6s26p1

There are many paradoxes in the history of the discovery of chemical elements.

It happened that one researcher was searching for an as yet unknown element, and another was finding it. Sometimes several scientists “followed a parallel course,” and then after the discovery (and someone always comes to it a little earlier than others), priority disputes arose.

Sometimes it happened that new element made itself known suddenly, unexpectedly. This is how element No. 81, thallium, was discovered. In March 1861, the English scientist William Crookes examined the dust that was collected at one of the sulfuric acid production facilities. Crookes believed that this dust must contain selenium and tellurium - analogues of sulfur. He found selenium, but tellurium was ordinary chemical methods Couldn't find it.

Then Crookes decided to use a new for that time and very sensitive method of spectral analysis. In the spectrum, he unexpectedly discovered a new line of light green color, which could not be attributed to any of the known elements. This bright line was the first “news” of the new element. Thanks to her, it was discovered and thanks to her, it was named in Latin thallus - “blooming branch”. The spectral line of the color of young foliage turned out to be the “calling card” of thallium.

IN Greek(and most of the names of the elements originate in Latin or Greek) the word that is translated into Russian as “upstart” sounds almost the same.

Thallius really turned out to be an upstart - they weren’t looking for him, but he was found...

Odd element

More than 30 years had passed since Crookes' discovery, and thallium was still one of the least studied elements. It was looked for in nature and found, but, as a rule, in minimal concentrations.

Only in 1896 did the Russian scientist I.A. Antipov discovered an increased thallium content in Silesian marcasites.

At that time, thallium was spoken of as a rare, diffuse element, and also as an element with oddities. Almost all of this is true today.

Only thallium is not so rare - its content in the earth's crust is 0.0003% - much more than, for example, gold, silver or mercury. Own minerals of this element have also been found - very rare minerals lorandite TlAsS2, vrbaite Tl(As, Sb)3S5 and others.

But not a single deposit of thallium minerals on Earth is of interest to industry. Obtain this element during processing various substances and ores as a by-product. Thallius really turned out to be very absent-minded.

And, as they say, there are more than enough oddities in its properties. On the one hand, thallium is similar to alkali metals. And at the same time, it is in some ways similar to silver, and in some ways like lead and tin. Judge for yourself: like potassium and sodium, thallium usually exhibits a valency of 1+; monovalent thallium hydroxide TlOH is a strong base, highly soluble in water.

Like alkali metals, thallium is capable of forming polyiodides, polysulfides, alcoholates... But the low solubility in water of monovalent thallium chloride, bromide and iodide makes this element similar to silver.

And in appearance, density, hardness, melting point - throughout the entire complex physical properties– Thallium most closely resembles lead.

And at the same time, it occupies a place in Group III of the periodic system, in the same subgroup with gallium and indium, and the properties of the elements of this subgroup change quite naturally.

In addition to the valency 1+, thallium can also exhibit a valence of 34-, which is natural for a group III element.

In general, trivalent thallium salts are more difficult to dissolve than similar monovalent thallium salts. The latter, by the way, have been better studied and have greater practical significance.

But there are compounds that contain both thallium. For example, halides of mono- and trivalent thallium are capable of reacting with each other.

And then the curious arise complex compounds, in particular Tl1+ –. In it, monovalent thallium acts as a cation, and trivalent thallium is part of the complex anion.

Emphasizing the combination of different properties in this element, the French chemist Dumas wrote: “It would not be an exaggeration if, from the point of view of the generally accepted classification of metals, we say that thallium combines opposing properties that allow us to call it a paradoxical metal.”

Dumas further states that among the metals the controversial thallium occupies the same place as the platypus occupies among animals. And at the same time, Dumas (and he was one of the first researchers of element No. 81) believed that “thallium is destined to make an era in the history of chemistry.”

Thallium hasn’t made it yet and probably won’t make it.

But he found practical application (although not immediately). For some industries and science, this element is truly important.

Applications of thallium

Thallium remained "unemployed" for 60 years after Crookes' discovery.

But by the beginning of the 20s of our century, the specific properties of thallium drugs were discovered, and demand for them immediately appeared.

In 1920, a patented poison against rodents was obtained in Germany, which included thallium sulfate Tl2SO4. This tasteless and odorless substance is sometimes included in insecticides and zoocides even today.

Also in 1920, an article by Case appeared in the journal “Physical Review,” who discovered that the electrical conductivity of one of the thallium compounds (its oxysulfide) changes under the influence of light.

Soon the first photocells were manufactured, the working fluid of which was precisely this substance. They turned out to be particularly sensitive to infrared rays.

Other compounds of element No. 81, in particular mixed crystals of monovalent thallium bromide and iodide, transmit well infrared rays. Such crystals were first obtained during the Second World War. They were grown in platinum crucibles at 470°C and used in infrared signaling devices, as well as to detect enemy snipers.

Later, TlBr and TlI were used in scintillation counters to detect alpha and beta radiation...

It is well known that tanning on our skin appears mainly due to ultraviolet rays and that these rays also have a bactericidal effect.

However, as has been established, not all rays of the ultraviolet part of the spectrum are equally effective. Doctors distinguish erythemal, or erythemal radiation (from the Latin aeritema - “redness”), the actions are genuine “rays of tanning”. And, of course, materials capable of converting primary ultraviolet radiation into rays of erythemal action are very important for physiotherapy.

Such materials turned out to be some silicates and phosphates of alkaline earth metals activated by thallium.

Medicine also uses other compounds of element No. 81. They are used, in particular, for hair removal in cases of ringworm - thallium salts in appropriate doses lead to temporary baldness. The widespread use of thallium salts in medicine is hampered by the fact that the difference between therapeutic and toxic doses of these salts is small.

The toxicity of thallium and its salts requires that they be handled with care and caution.

Until now, when talking about the practical benefits of thallium, we have only touched on its compounds. It can be added that thallium carbonate Tl2CO3 is used to produce glass with a high refractive index of light rays. What about thallium itself? It is also used, although perhaps not as widely as salts.

Thallium metal is a component of some alloys, giving them acid resistance, strength, and wear resistance. Most often, thallium is introduced into alloys based on its related lead. Bearing Alloy – 72% Pb, 15% Sb, 5% Sn and 8% Tl outperforms the best tin bearing alloys. The alloy of 70% Pb, 20% Sn and 10% Tl is resistant to nitric and hydrochloric acids.

An alloy of thallium with mercury stands somewhat apart - thallium amalgam, containing approximately 8.5% of element No. 81.

Under normal conditions it is liquid and, unlike pure mercury, remains liquid at temperatures down to –60°C. The alloy is used in liquid seals, switches, thermometers operating in the Far North, in experiments with low temperatures.

In the chemical industry, thallium metal, like some of its compounds, is used as a catalyst, in particular in the reduction of nitrobenzene with hydrogen.

Radioisotopes of thallium were also not left without work.

Thallium-204 (half-life 3.56 years) is a pure beta emitter. It is used in control and measuring equipment designed to measure the thickness of coatings and thin-walled products.

Similar installations with radioactive thallium remove static electricity charges from finished products in the paper and textile industries.

We think that the examples already given are quite enough to consider the usefulness of element No. 81 as unconditionally proven.

And we didn’t talk about the fact that thallium will make an era in chemistry - that’s all Dumas. Not Alexandre Dumas, however (which, given his imagination, would be quite understandable), but Jean Baptiste Andre Dumas, the writer’s namesake, a completely serious chemist.

But let us note that fantasy also brings more benefit to chemists than harm...

A little more history

The French chemist Lamy discovered thallium independently of Crookes. He discovered the green spectral line while examining sludge from another sulfuric acid plant.

He was the first to obtain some elemental thallium, establish its metallic nature and study some of its properties. Crookes was only a few months ahead of Lamy.

About thallium minerals

In some rare minerals - lorandite, vrbaite, hutchinsonite, cruquesite - the content of element No. 81 is very high - from 16 to 80%. The only pity is that all these minerals are very rare. The last thallium mineral, representing almost pure trivalent thallium oxide Tl2O3 (79.52% Tl), was found in 1956.

on the territory of the Uzbek SSR. This mineral was named avicennite - in honor of the sage, physician and philosopher Avicenna, or more correctly Abu Ali ibn Sina.

Thallium in wildlife

Thallium is found in plant and animal organisms. It is found in tobacco, chicory roots, spinach, beech wood, grapes, beets and other plants. Of the animals, jellyfish, sea anemones, starfish and other sea inhabitants contain the most thallium.

Some plants accumulate thallium during their life processes. Thallium was discovered in beets growing on soil in which the most subtle analytical methods could not detect element No. 81. Later it was found that even with a minimum concentration of thallium in the soil, beets are able to concentrate and accumulate it.

Not only from chimneys

The discoverer of thallium found it in the fugitive dust of a sulfuric acid plant.

Now it seems natural that thallium was essentially found in a chimney - after all, at the temperature of ore smelting, thallium compounds become volatile.

In the dust carried into the chimney, they condense, usually in the form of oxides and sulfates. The good solubility of most monovalent thallium compounds helps to extract thallium from a mixture (and dust is a mixture of many substances). They are extracted from dust with acidified hot water.

Rat poison - a lethal dose for humans, symptoms and consequences of poisoning

Increased solubility helps to successfully purify thallium from numerous impurities. After this, thallium metal is obtained. The method of obtaining thallium metal depends on which compound was the final product of the previous production stage.

If thallium carbonate, sulfate or perchlorate was obtained, then element No. 81 is extracted from them by electrolysis; if chloride or oxalate was obtained, then they resort to the usual reduction. The most technologically advanced is thallium sulfate Tl2SO4, which is soluble in water. It itself serves as an electrolyte, during the electrolysis of which spongy thallium is deposited on aluminum cathodes. This sponge is then pressed, melted and cast into a mold. It should be remembered that thallium is always obtained as a by-product: along with lead, zinc, cadmium and some other elements.

Such is the lot of the scattered...

Lightest isotope of thallium

Element No. 81 has two stable and 19 radioactive isotopes (with mass numbers from 189 to 210). The lightest isotope of this element, thallium-189, was obtained last in 1972 at the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna.

It was obtained by irradiating a lead difluoride target with accelerated protons with an energy of 660 MeV, followed by separation of the products of nuclear reactions in a mass separator.

The half-life of the lightest thallium isotope turned out to be approximately the same as that of the heaviest, it is 1.4 ± 0.4 minutes (for 210Tl - 1.32 minutes).

Thallium is a rare metal on Earth. But cases of poisoning by it are not so rare. Thallium poisoning is severe and often fatal. In terms of toxicity, it can be compared with lead and arsenic; it is dangerous, like crystalline phenol. More toxic than mercury, which appears before thallium on the periodic table. You should get to know this dangerous metal better.

Thallium is a dangerous chemical element

What are its properties and characteristics?

The substance has a powdery consistency, white-silver in color. It is used extensively, especially as part of antidotes against rodents. Thallium salts, as well as thallium sulfate, are used to perform radiological examinations of the heart, as well as as a catalyst for fireworks and in the manufacture of optical lenses.

This chemical element is located in the third group of the periodic table and has a blue tint. It can be mono- or trivalent; the monovalent element is considered more toxic. In nature, it is present in small quantities and not concentrated, therefore it is extracted during the processing and extraction of salts of heavy metals (for example, from lead). Thallium compounds are practically insoluble in fatty and aqueous environments.

Thallium exists in the following states:

Clerici solution;
peroxides;
oxides (thallium hydroxide, thallium oxide);
halide salts (thallium nitrate, thallium chloride, thallium sulfate, iodide and bromide).

Thallium is used in various industries

This element is also found in the human body; its role has not yet been fully studied. Scientists suggest that it enters the body along with plant foods. It is also contained in:

soot;
household dust;
cigarette smoke;
industrial fumes.

Thallium oxide, like its other compounds, is distributed evenly throughout the body. It is found in the least amount in the intestines, hair and teeth; it is found in large quantities in adipose tissue, and slightly more in muscles and fats. Thallium hydroxide or in another form in the body should be within 0.1 mg, the rate increases to 0.5 mg with large muscle mass.

What is the toxicogenetics of this type of poisoning?

Acute thallium poisoning can occur due to intentional and accidental ingestion of large portions of metal salts into the body. Metal vapors and dust can cause damage to the respiratory system; damage also occurs through contact with the skin.

The substance is absorbed into the body different ways: through the skin, respiratory tract and digestive tract. It takes one hour for the poison to be completely absorbed. Thallium hydroxide or any other compound poses a serious danger.

Thallium can accumulate in the body

Poisons are easily absorbed into the blood, and most of them settle in the heart muscles, kidneys, salivary glands and liver. Deposits in the brain and fatty tissues are relatively small. The element is excreted mainly through the stomach. The half-life of the poison is about a month.

How does intoxication occur?

Poisoning with thallium salts is dangerous because it can not only disrupt the structure of cells, but also accumulate in it. It is capable of changing the properties of molecules, as it is able to interact with various enedogenic ligands. It can also form bonds with low molecular weight compounds. Accumulating in skin cells, the substance affects them.

Thallium oxide, while in the body, targets the transport systems of biomembranes, the work of enzymes, and structural proteins. Damage also occurs to lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum. Mechanisms of work biologically active substances are violated.

What are the symptoms?

Thallium poisoning occurs when substances containing more than 1 gram of thallium are consumed. Death occurs when taking a dose of 600 mg. There is a difference in the time frame for the manifestation of symptoms of poisoning, both chronic and acute, but general similar manifestations can also be tracked.

The mechanism of action of thallium on the human body

During the first 3-4 hours, the first symptoms may appear:

bleeding in the intestines;
general weakness;
vomit;
feeling of nausea.

Over the next 7 days, the nervous system is affected, which manifests itself in the following symptoms:

blurred vision;
damage to cranial nerves;
problems with coordination of movements;
pain in muscle tissue;
numbness of the limbs;
polyneuritis;
convulsions;
headache;
weakness;
mental disorders.

Thallium hydroxide and other salts also cause disturbances in the functioning of all body systems over time.

Kidneys - decreased urination, increased urea levels in the circulatory system, and decreased glomerular filtration.
Vision - retinal atrophy occurs.
Skin - whitish spots on the nail plate, skin irritation, baldness.
Vascular system and heart - increased blood pressure, tachycardia, pain in the heart.
Respiratory system - paralysis of the respiratory muscles, pulmonary edema, irritability in the throat.

Symptoms and consequences of thallium poisoning

If you receive a lethal dose of a substance, there is little time left before death. Symptoms appear either at the same time or after a short interval one after another. Bleeding in the intestines, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, fever can be accompanied by psychosis, pulmonary edema and even coma. Death occurs within 7-10 days, so you should get medical help immediately after poisoning.

If the poisoning is in the chronic stage, then the symptoms are very vague and may appear in the final stages. Mainly there are disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This condition is characterized by the following symptoms:

blurred vision;
muscle weakness;
alopecia;
impotence.

How to diagnose?

To obtain information about the presence of thallium in the body, there is no point in using x-rays, since it is in this case invisible, radiographs are used for diagnosis. When this substance enters the body in significant doses, its concentration varies between 300-2000 mcg/l, and excretion per day exceeds 10-20 mcg. Thallium oxide in the body can also be seen using an electroencephalogram, small changes are noticeable, and nerve conduction slows down in peripheral nerves.

Treatment Options

Hemodialysis is one of the methods of treating thallium poisoning

There are several therapeutic procedures used to remove thallium from the body: the use of diethyldithiocarbamate (an antidote), increasing kidney excretion with potassium chloride, hemodialysis, and gastric cleansing. Drinking ipecac syrup and flushing the digestive system should be done within the first 5 hours. An analysis obtained using an x-ray of the abdominal area can show how much the poison has been eliminated.

In the stomach and intestines, thallium is absorbed by Prussian blue, which crystal lattice replaces thallium with potassium, so it is not absorbed into the blood. You need to take 250 mg/kg once. Magnesium citrate or mannitol (as laxatives) are used to cleanse the stomach.

Consequences of poisoning and preventive measures

For those working in industries in contact with thallium, certain protective measures must be observed:

eat well and properly;
systematically carry out routine examinations in the hospital;
Do not allow eating or drinking in workplaces;
Be sure to use protective equipment (specialized shoes and clothing, gloves, respirators).

Thallium oxide in the body in excess of the norm can lead to serious consequences and also disrupt the normal functioning of the body. It is necessary to avoid direct contact with substances that contain thallium hydroxide or other its derivatives.

Intoxication does not have one-time consequences, but more serious ones, because thallium is very toxic. Infertility, a number of congenital defects, impotence, hormonal and mental disorders, chronic diseases of the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract may develop. Death is possible from a heart attack or stroke.

Important information about thallium poisoning

To summarize, poisoning with thallium, as a highly toxic element, is very dangerous. You can get poisoned not only in industrial conditions, but also in domestic ones. All systems in the body are destroyed under its influence, especially the nervous and muscular systems.

Treatment must begin immediately. First of all, it is necessary to introduce Prussian blue, an effective antidote. You should also always exercise preventive measures and caution, especially in the workplace.

Video

How severe can thallium poisoning be? You will find the answer to this question by watching the video.

One of the chemical elements that belongs to the metal group is thallium. Thallium is always present in the human body in small quantities. Despite this, contact with it should be avoided, as it leads to severe intoxication. Thallium has a poisonous effect on humans.

What is thallium and possible methods of poisoning with it?

Before you find out where you can get poisoned, you need to answer the question: thallium salts - what are they? This is a potent toxin that affects the peripheral and central nervous system, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. In industry it is used much less frequently than other metals. It is important to remember that any contact with it in most cases ends in death, since it is a potent poison.

During numerous experiments, this chemical element was identified in the human body in greater quantities in fatty tissues. To this day, its functions and purpose in our body remain a big mystery. It is found in plants minimal amount. Therefore, scientists believe that thallium (or thallium) enters the human body through plant products. The concentration is so low that it does not cause any harm to health.

It is important to know where the poison is located. Intoxication can occur in one of the following situations:

Working with pesticides or insecticides. Most poisonings occur in agricultural workers.
While working in production where waist is used. For example, the production of pyrotechnics, thermometers, fluorescent paints and light bulbs.
The metal is part of the poison for rodents, so poisoning can occur during the treatment of the premises against rodents.
Most often, children are poisoned by ingesting a product that contains thallium pesticides. It is so important to hide all poisons, solutions and chemicals from the child, because he still does not know anything about the upcoming danger. For a small organism, even the smallest amount of such a substance can be the last.

When working with thallium, be sure to wear a respirator and a protective suit. For poisoning, skin contact is not always necessary; it is enough for thallium sulfate to enter the body through the respiratory tract. Very often this chemical element is used to intentionally kill a person.

The effect of thallium on the body

We found out above that this metal has 3 ways of entering the body:

skin contact,
through the digestive system,
through the respiratory tract.

Thallium has a toxic effect on the human body. 1 gram is enough for poisoning. Larger amounts lead to death. The fastest and most severe poisoning occurs in situations where thallium is ingested. Getting it into the stomach leads to local inflammation. Less than an hour is enough for this poison to spread throughout the body. The kidneys suffer the most, since only they are able to remove it from the body. Namely, their functions are disrupted, since thallium settles on the internal walls of the organs. It is eliminated from the body very, very slowly. It will take up to 3 months to completely cleanse the body of a small amount of poison.

Not only the kidneys, but also all other vital organs suffer from intoxication. Metal deposition is observed in the heart, nerve cells of the brain, liver, nerve pathways and blood vessels. In more severe cases, swelling of the brain is observed. As a rule, this is what causes all deaths during poisoning.

Manifestations of thallium poisoning

The complexity of intoxication directly depends not only on the amount of poison taken, but also on the age of the victim and his weight. A child needs much less time and amount of chemical to develop poisoning.

After the first 2 hours, you can observe how the first symptoms begin to appear. General state the victim begins to quickly deteriorate and after this time the full clinical picture can be observed. The first symptoms of thallium poisoning:

Acute abdominal pain that spreads quickly. At this moment, all parts of the intestines and stomach are affected.
Nausea followed by vomiting. Typically, vomit consists of gastric juice, bile and food debris.
Due to intestinal damage, diarrhea occurs, which is accompanied by blood. This is caused by bleeding in the intestines.
A rapid heart rate or tachycardia can soon lead to a permanently disturbed heart rhythm.
Frequent breathing.
There is a drop in blood pressure. This is caused by internal bleeding in the intestinal area.

If you do not seek medical help in time, the following symptoms will appear over the next week:

seizures that closely resemble epilepsy,
severe and persistent headache in one part of the head,
apathy, pronounced weakness of the whole body,
myalgia, so-called muscle pain, which is localized in the lower extremities,
staggering, poor coordination, especially noticeable when walking. This suggests that thallium damaged the cerebellum,
inflammation of the nerve tracts or polyneuritis, which manifests itself as pain throughout the body,
a sharp deterioration in vision, in particularly advanced and severe forms, complete blindness occurs, which indicates damage to the visual center in the brain,
loss of consciousness, deep comatose states are observed.

In cases of acute and severe poisoning, the victim dies within the first 24 hours due to cerebral edema or internal intestinal bleeding.

First aid for poisoning

If there is a suspicion that thallium intoxication has occurred, it is necessary to call an ambulance without waiting for the first symptoms. After all, every minute is important. First aid and further treatment are carried out only by medical staff in a hospital setting.

All you can do is . In this way, you will remove the collected particles of thalia in the stomach and reduce the severity of the entire further poisoning process. You can carry out the following activities yourself:

Stomach cleansing. If the poison was swallowed, then this activity is recommended to be carried out in the first minutes. To do this, the victim needs to drink more than 1 liter of plain water in one gulp, and then induce a gag reflex. In order to provoke gagging, press on the root of the tongue. It is necessary to repeat this procedure several times. This will help remove the maximum amount of poison from the stomach. If there is a disturbance of consciousness, then such washing is strictly prohibited. It should also be stopped in cases where the vomit is dark or even black in color. This color can only indicate that internal bleeding has begun. And rinsing will only strengthen it and increase the volume of blood loss.
Sorbents. It's worth looking into the first aid kit. Perhaps there will be drugs from the sorbent group. Read the instructions carefully to understand what dosage the patient needs to take. For example, 1 tablet of activated carbon is needed per 10 kg of weight.
Drink. It should be plain water. Drinking will help relieve dehydration that may occur during poisoning. You should pay attention to the water temperature. It should be room temperature, never hot. Carbonated drinks should also be avoided.

Only doctors who arrive on call can provide first aid. It consists of the following activities:

drugs are administered that eliminate breathing and heartbeat disorders,
special droppers are placed that relieve intoxication syndrome,
in case of severe intestinal bleeding, hemostatic drugs are administered,
if there is uncontrollable vomiting, then
small children or victims with impaired consciousness undergo gastric lavage through a tube.

Once all vital signs have stabilized, he is taken to the nearest hospital. There, hospitalization is carried out in the toxicology department or in intensive care.

Examination and treatment of the victim

It is not easy to detect thallium in the body. To do this, the abdominal cavity is examined X-ray. You can see it in the picture because it doesn't let through X-rays. It may collect in the kidney or intestinal area.

Thallium poisoning is very serious, so treatment begins within minutes of hospitalization. It consists of the following components:

Dithiocarb is administered, which is an antidote for thallium. Thanks to it, toxins are neutralized and removed from the body. But improvement does not happen overnight.
Hemodialysis also helps remove toxins from the body. It is carried out on the first day of poisoning. Helps prevent acute kidney failure.
If there is no intestinal bleeding, then laxatives are used.
Medicines are administered to normalize and maintain blood pressure and heart function.
Droppers, which are aimed at normalizing blood pressure and reducing intoxication. Any drug is administered under strict control of the electrolyte composition of the blood.

What could be the consequences?

In all cases, it is noted that intoxication with thallium sulfate never goes away without a trace, regardless of whether assistance was provided in a timely and correct manner or after some time. As a rule, the consequences last a lifetime. In more complex poisonings, after recovery there is complete loss of ability to work. The most common consequences after intoxication:

Alopecia. This is typical for both men and women. Hair loss can be partial, or it can be complete baldness. As a rule, this consequence is irreversible.
The retina of the eye atrophies. This leads to complete or partial loss of vision.
In men, impotence, and in women, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, and infertility is possible.
Kidney failure is caused by damage to the kidneys, in some cases the victim needs constant hemodialysis.
Skin atrophy, dermatitis, rashes and redness.
Heart failure, which becomes chronic.
Depression.
Memory impairment.
Development of epilepsy.

Due to the fact that thallium is not such a common metal, poisoning with it is rare, but it is much more serious than others. It is important to remember what thallium salts are and where the poison is found. Most often, children who have consumed a substance that contains thallium sulfate, or people who work in production using it, suffer. To save life, it is necessary to call an ambulance at the slightest suspicion of intoxication. Doctors have to deal with a large number of complications that may arise, so the period of treatment and rehabilitation is very long. Even with timely first aid, the victim may remain disabled forever.

Ministry of Education and Science Russian Federation

Novosibirsk State Technical University

Department of Labor Safety

in the discipline "Ecology"

on the topic: “Thallium in water”

Completed

Dolgopolov V.

Teacher

Lipunova T.N.

Novosibirsk - 2013

1.Thalia is highly toxic

2. Anthropogenic sources of input into environment

Acute poisoning

Literature

1. Thallium is highly toxic

Thallium - (Latin Thallium, Tl, chemical element of group III of the periodic table, atomic number 81, atomic weight 204.383) - a silver-white metal with a grayish tint, has no taste or smell, which can be used for criminal purposes - it is almost impossible recognize

Thallium is a highly toxic poison, and poisoning with it often ends in death. Poisoning with thallium and its compounds is possible during their production and practical use. Thallium enters the body through the respiratory system, intact skin and digestive tract. It is eliminated from the body over a long period of time. Acute, subacute and chronic poisoning have a similar clinical picture, differing in the severity and speed of onset of symptoms.

In acute cases, after 1-2 days, signs of damage to the gastrointestinal tract (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation) and respiratory tract appear. After 2-3 weeks, hair loss and vitamin deficiency symptoms are observed (smoothing of the mucous membrane of the tongue, cracks in the corners of the mouth, etc.). In severe cases, polyneuritis, mental disorders, visual impairment, etc. may develop.

For thallium sulfate, the lethal dose when taken orally is about 1 g for humans. There are cases where doses of 8 mg/kg, as well as 10-15 mg/kg, were fatal. Poisoning continues for several weeks (2-3) weeks, and 3-4 days after taking the poison, an imaginary feeling of well-being occurs.

Thallium poisoning is all the more dangerous because the signs of poisoning that appear resemble inflammatory processes that humanity has learned to fight. The effect of the poison is disguised as influenza or bronchopneumonia. Antibiotics usually prescribed in such cases do not have a therapeutic effect.

The maximum permissible concentration in water for thallium is only 0.0001 mg/m 3, V atmospheric air- 0.004 mg/m 3. Thallium also poses a significant environmental hazard due to the fact that when removed from a sealed container it quickly oxidizes in the open air.

Anthropogenic sources of entry into the environment

thallium poisoning metal highly toxic

The most significant sources are enterprises that burn organic carbon fuels (oil, coal, fuel oil, etc.) in the production process, smelting copper, lead, and zinc. T. and its compounds can enter the atmosphere in the form of smoke, dust, and aerosols from the air of production premises of various industries, and into the water of reservoirs as part of industrial wastewater. Depending on the type of anthropogenic source, T. can enter the environment in the form of Tl 2SO 4or TlOH (wastewater and mining waste), Tl 2O (emissions from coal-fired power plants), Tl 2S and Tl 2O (various types of thermal processes). Monovalent T +- the predominant and most stable form in the environment; T 3+- can be found in marine and fresh waters, is much less stable, is in equilibrium with T ions +(Manzo et al., 1985). See also Thallium.

In 1990, as a result of industrial processes at UES enterprises operating on coal energy sources, approximately 240 tons of T were released into the environment; during bottling, the content of aerosols of T. oxides in the air of the working area was observed in the range of 13-17.4 mg/m 3. When obtaining T. salts and packaging them, the content of metal dust in production premises can reach 0.136 and 0.354 mg/m 3. The production of metallic metal and its various salts, single crystals and various crystalline systems of metal was accompanied by air pollution of industrial premises with metal in concentrations of 0.004-0.007 mg/m 3. The amount of T. in washouts from the walls of work rooms and equipment surfaces reached 12.5 mg/m 3, washes from the palms of workers - 300-350 mg. In some industries where coal is the energy source, people ingest up to 150-180 ng/kg T per day (Sabbioni et al., 1980). Getting T. into food products, drinking water can occur in areas where copper, zinc, cadmium mines and other metallurgical industry enterprises are located, in areas of agricultural land where potash fertilizers are used. Thus, in river water around a metalworking enterprise, the concentration of T. reached 0.7-88.0 μg/l; in algae and mosses of rivers, the T. content was 9.5-162.0 μg/kg of dry weight (Kazantzis).

Acute poisoning

For an adult, taking into account individual sensitivity, the average lethal dose of T. is 0.5-3.0 g (Davis et al.; Manzo et al., 1985; Moeschlin; Thompson). A fatal outcome is very likely if 10-15 mg/kg of soluble T salt is taken. Due to the abundance and diversity of symptoms, the diagnosis of acute T poisoning is often difficult. First, dyspeptic symptoms occur - anorexia, gastroenteritis with diarrhea (sometimes with blood), nausea, vomiting, paroxysmal abdominal pain; Oliguria is sometimes noted. Then, within 8-40 hours from the onset of the first symptoms, disorders occur nervous system- insomnia, severe weakness, anxiety, paresthesia, gait disorders (ataxia), trembling, sometimes cramps, muscle pain. Mental disorders may manifest themselves, including delirious states, and fever is noted. The onset of respiratory and circulatory disorders increases and ends in coma and death 7-10 days after the onset of poisoning. In cases of survival for 7-10 days, severe neurological disorders are observed in the form of headaches, ataxia, tremor, paresthesia, polyneuritis, and muscle atrophy. Acute myocardial infarction and hypertension may occur. Anorexia continues, lack of sleep at night, napping during the day. There are dysfunctions of the cranial nerves, ptosis, retrobulbar neuritis, possible paralysis of the facial nerve, strabismus, and decreased body weight. Over the next 2-3 weeks, hypertension, tachycardia, swelling and pain in the joints (mainly the upper extremities), various mental disorders, skin manifestations in the form of peeling, cracks in the corners of the mouth, brown pigmentation, hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles may be observed. Baldness develops, the disappearance of axillary and pubic hair, the medial and lateral third of the eyebrows (this is considered the most characteristic symptomatology, often allowing a final diagnosis to be made). The appearance of white transverse stripes on the nails (Messa stripes) is noted, advancing as the nails grow. Cases of sudden death associated with cardiac arrest several weeks after poisoning have been described. Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism manifest themselves in the form of so-called latent diabetes, glycosuria, kidney damage - hematuria, urobilinuria, the appearance of casts, acetone bodies, and sometimes porphyrin in the urine; in the blood - thickening with a change in hematocrit, anemia. Visual disturbances may occur. Recovery can be complete or with neurological disorders such as ataxia and tremor. The severity of poisoning can be judged by the clinic and the amount of T. in the urine. Poisoning is considered severe if, along with clinical symptoms, the excretion of T. in the urine exceeds 10 mg per day. Excretion of T. in the urine can continue for 3-5 months after poisoning and longer.

The main routes of entry of T. into the human body are enteral, inhalation of vapors, dust, and absorption through the skin. Acute industrial poisonings of T. are rare. In acute fatal T. poisoning, diffuse damage to the nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, neuroendocrine disorders, and hair loss were noted. Pathomorphologically - inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, ecchymosis and edema in the myocardium, atrophic changes in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, dystrophic and degenerative changes in parenchymal organs, degeneration of motor and sensory peripheral nerve fibers. In the brain - edema, multiple diapedetic hemorrhages, focal proliferation of glia, dystrophic changes in neurons, chromatolysis of neurons in the motor cortex and some subcortical centers. In the lungs - metaplasia of the bronchial epithelium, in the myocardium - interstitial productive myocarditis. In lost hair, histologically a spindle-shaped swelling of the root part with abundant deposition of black pigment is detected.

Literature

1. Akshabaeva K.A. and others // Healthcare of Kazakhstan. 1992. No. 3. P. 49-51.

Andreeva L.I. and others // Med. acad. magazine. 2001. T. 2, No. 2. P. 61-66.

Belous V.I. and others // Noosphere and ecology of galvanic production. Ekol.-90: abstracts of reports of the regional intersectoral scientific and technical seminar. Kuibyshev. 1990. P. 48.

Valevsky S.F. and others // Medical practice. 1990. No. 5. P. 97-99.

Gozhenko A.I. and others // Occupational Medicine. 1996. No. 11. P. 33-36.

Http://toxi.dyndns.org/base/nonorganic/Tallium.htm

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