Silicon toxicity

Silicon toxicity is virtually limited to occupational exposure to silicon compounds e.g. miners, sandblasters, bricklayers, pottery workers in which inhalation of the compounds has been associated with the diseases of the lung. The later being evidenced by nodule formation and acute silicosis, mixed dust fibrosis and diatomite pneumoconiosis. 

A common nondietary form of silicon toxicity is a lung condition known as silicosis, due to inhalation of airborne silicon oxide dust. The amount of silicon in the blood and urine... 

Substances which have a deleterious effect on the taste and/or smell of the products for human consumption derived from the aquatic environment Toxic or persistent organic compounds of silicon Inorganic compounds of phosphorus and elemental phosphorus Non-persistent mineral oils and hydrocarbons of petroleum origin Cyanides, fluorides... 

One of the chief uses of chloromethane is as a starting material from which silicone polymers are made. Dichloromethane is widely used as a paint stripper. Trichloromethane was once used as an inhalation anesthetic, but its toxicity caused it to be replaced by safer materials many years ago. Tetrachloromethane is the starting material for the preparation of several chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), at one time widely used as refrigerant gases. Most of the world s industrialized nations have agreed to phase out all uses of CFCs because these compounds have been implicated in atmospheric processes that degrade the Earth s ozone layer. 

Anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid react with substances containing silica and silicon oxide to form silicon tetrafluoridc and fluorosilic acid. SiF, a colorless gas at ambient temperature, is liighly toxic. An equilibrium mixture of SiF in the presence of moisture also contains hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid. 

The metal itself, having an appreciable vapour pressure, is also toxic, and produces headaches, tremors, inflammation of the bladder and loss of memory. The best documented case is that of Alfred Stock (p. 151) whose constant use of mercury in the vacuum lines employed in his studies of boron and silicon hydrides, caused him to suffer for many years. The cause was eventually recognized and it is largely due to Stock s publication in 1926 of details of his experiences that the need for care and adequate ventilation is now fully appreciated. 

GTP is a safe operation. A runaway polymerization can be quickly quenched with a protonic solvent. Since the group transfer polymerization goes to completion, no unwanted toxic monomer remains the silicone group on the living end after hydroxylation is removed as inactive siloxane. The living polymer in GTP is costlier than traditional polymerization techniques because of the stringent reaction conditions and requirements for pure and dry monomers and solvents. It can be used in fabrication of silicon chips, coating of optical fibers, etc. 

The toxicity of lead-containing greases has led to alternative products being used for the protection of components where the product is likely to come in contact with rubber. Of those products considered silicone-based greases have been found to be particularly suitable and their application to hydraulic equipment components such as brake cylinders, where they can provide internal protection against corrosion both during transit and use, has been found particularly beneficial. 

Some elements come in and out of fashion, so to speak. Sixty years ago, elemental silicon was a chemical curiosity. Today, ultrapure silicon has become the basis for the multibillion-dollar semiconductor industry. Lead, on the other hand, is an element moving in the other direction. A generation ago it was widely used to make paint pigments, plumbing connections, and gasoline additives. Today, because of the toxicity of lead compounds, all of these applications have been banned in the United States. 

As a preeminent biomaterial, silicones have been the most thoroughly studied polymer over the last half century. From lubrication for syringes to replacements for soft tissue, silicones have set the standard for excellent blood compatibility, low toxicity durability, and bioinertness. Many medical applications would not have been possible without this unique polymer. 

Examples of preservatives are phenylmercuric nitrate or acetate (0.002% w/v), chlorhexidine acetate (0.01 % w/v), thiomersal (0.01 % w/v) and benzalkorrium chloride (0.01 % w/v). Chlorocresol is too toxic to the comeal epithehum, but 8-hydroxyquinoline and thiomersal may be used in specific instances. The principal considerahon in relation to antimicrobial properties is the activity of the bactericide against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major source of serious nosocomial eye infections. Although benzal-konium chloride is probably the most active of the recommended preservatives, it cannot always be used because of its incompatibility with many compounds commonly used to treat eye diseases, nor should it be used to preserve eye-drops containing anaesthetics. Since benzalkonium chloride reacts with natural mbber, silicone or butyl rabber teats should be substituted. Since silicone mbber is permeable to water vapour, products should not be stored for more than 3 months after manufacture. As with all mbber components, the mbber teat should be pre-equilibrated with the preservative prior to... 

Aluminium, boron, silicon Lead in soil slurries Toxic organic compounds... 

A final comment on the Czochralski Method GaAs has become important in construction of integrated circuits for computers because of the promise of speed of response and density of components, compared to silicon wafers. Both As and Ga tend to oxidize in air as they approach the melt stage and AS2O3 sublimes. Both elements are toxic to man. In the... 

The design of bioeompatible (blood compatible) potentiometric ion sensors was described in this chapter. Sensing membranes fabricated by crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) (silicone rubber) and sol gel-derived materials are excellent for potentiometric ion sensors. Their sensor membrane properties are comparable to conventional plasticized-PVC membranes, and their thrombogenic properties are superior to the PVC-based membranes. Specifically, membranes modified chemically by neutral carriers and anion excluders are very promising, because the toxicity is alleviated drastically. The sensor properties are still excellent in spite of the chemical bonding of neutral carriers on membranes. 

An aqueous base is the least expensive vehicle and poses no toxicity problems. A solution of the drug in water or water and cosolvent is made. Glycerin, glycols, natural and synthetic gums, and/or polymers are used to increase viscosity, cohesiveness, and plasticity. To overcome syneresis, or water separation in the gel, a common problem with aqueous bases, one can use absorbing materials such as microcrystalline cellulose, kaolin, colloidal silicon dioxide, starch, etc. 

Coprecipitation is a partitioning process whereby toxic heavy metals precipitate from the aqueous phase even if the equilibrium solubility has not been exceeded. This process occurs when heavy metals are incorporated into the structure of silicon, aluminum, and iron oxides when these latter compounds precipitate out of solution. Iron hydroxide collects more toxic heavy metals (chromium, nickel, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, and thorium) during precipitation than aluminum hydroxide.38 Coprecipitation is considered to effectively remove trace amounts of lead and chromium from solution in injected wastes at New Johnsonville, Tennessee.39 Coprecipitation with carbonate minerals may be an important mechanism for dealing with cobalt, lead, zinc, and cadmium. 

BAN (2002) The Basel Action Network and Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition exporting harm the high-tech trashing of Asia, www.ban.org... 

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