Present-day use of bismuth

Bismuth acetate (Bi(OAe)j) and citrate (Bi[02CCH2CH0H(C02)CH2C02]) both 99.99% purity cost US 64.90 ( 16 100) per 50 g for the former and US 12.00 ( 3000) per 100 g for the latter. A variety of bismuth carboxylates such as subcitrate, subgallate, subsalicylate, etc. are also available commercially priced at around US 16-17 ( 3000-4000) per 100 g, but these compounds mostly lack chemical integrity and are not suitable for use as synthetic reagents. Bismuth subgallate and subsalicylate of 99.9% purity cost US 16.00 ( 4000) and US 12.00 ( 3000) per 100 g, respectively. Bismuth oxalate of 99.9% purity is available commercially at 3670 per 25 g [98B-W]. 

Currently, bismuth is used mainly in the manufacture of medicines, cosmetics, low-melting alloys and metallurgical additives [78KOE(3)912, 85UE(A4)171, 93BBI(suppl.)]. 

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