Thallium accumulation

The lethal dose of thallium can be as little as 14mg Tl/kg body weight thallium accumulates in the body, (a) What mass (g) of the thallium compound in Problem 3.50 would be a single fatal dose for a 220 lb (100 kg) man (b) If the compound were to be introduced into the meals of this man at the rate of 50 mg/day total over three meals/day, how long would it take (days) to build up the fatal dose of thallium assuming no excretion of the metal ... 

The thallium content in hair from persons without environmental or occupational exposure is 5-15 ng/g hair [9,14]. The thallium content in tissue from unexposed humans is highest in colon, kidney, and myocardium. The reported values, however, for all tissues are less than 10 ppb and often below 1 ppb [9,10,17,18]. Cellular distribution studies using nontoxic doses of Tl demonstrated high levels of thallium in the nucleus and showed that 10% of total intracellular thallium accumulated in the mitochondria [10,19]. 

Tb allium, which does not occur naturaHy in normal tissue, is not essential to mammals but does accumulate in the human body. Levels as low as 0.5 mg/100 g of tissue suggest thallium intoxication. Based on industrial experience, 0.10 mg /m of thallium in air is considered safe for a 40-h work week (37). The lethal dose for humans is not definitely known, but 1 g of absorbed thallium is considered sufficient to kHl an adult and 10 mg/kg body weight has been fatal to children. In severe cases of poisoning, death does not occur earlier than 8—10 d but most frequently in 10—12 d. Tb allium excretion is slow and prolonged. For example, tb allium is present in the feces 35 d after exposure and persists in the urine for up to three months. 

When burned in suitable pits, pyrite yields, among other products, sulfur dioxide, arseniouS and selenious adds, and the oxide of thallium, which are carried over into the first lead chamber, with the ferruginous dust. In this first chamber, espedally if it has no other communication with the following ones than the gas pipe, the oxide of thallium deposits and accumulates, and finally thallium sulfate, with sulfates of lead, iron, and other foreign substances coming fiom the pyrite. 

In cases of acute thallium intoxication in humans, similar distributions were observed (Weinig and Walz 1971, Arnold 1986), with specific thallium depot compartments being kidney and muscle. However, no correlation was found between the tissue distribution and particular sensitivity to the toxicodynamic effects of thallium (Forth and Henning 1979). Brain areas densely populated with neurons have been found to accumulate thallium more readily than other brain regions thallium is also accumulated in the testes, and this may lead to reduced sperm motility (Manzo and Sab-bioni 1988). 

Smith S and Kwan MKH (1989) Use of aquatic macrophytes as a bioassay method to assess relative toxicity, uptake kinetics and accumulated forms of trace metals. Hydrobiologica 188/189 345-351. SuMiYA H, Taki J, Higuchi T and Tonami N (2001) Nuclear imaging of bone tumors thallium-201 scintigraphy. Semin Musculoskeletal Radiol 5 177-182. 

WD-XRF wavelength dispersive-X-ray emission spectrometrywhich is visible microscopically siderosis deposition of iron in tissues and organs WHO World Health Organisation widy sign a dark pigment precipitation in hair roots at the fourth or fifth day after the intake of a toxic dose of thallium Wilson s disease recessive autosomal, hereditary disease (if untreated, results in invalidity and death) in which toxic amounts of copper are accumulated in the liver and central nervous system XPS X-ray photoelectron spectrometry XRF X-ray fluorescence spectrometry... 

Combustion of coal as well as dust from zinc- and cadmium processing industrial plants are the main sources of thaliium emission into the atmosphere (Magorian et al., 1974). Thallium is accumulated together with other volatile species in filter and flue dust there it is remarkably soluble in water. 

Thallium is strongly accumulated by mature rape leafs (brassica napus), and to a lesser extent by lettuce and cabbage, but not by turnips, zucchini, maize, oats and grass. 

In spite of the high yields and simplicity of this reaction, I can t recommend its use. That s because this procedure uses thallium(ni) nitrate to oxidize the propenylbenzene to the corresponding phenylacetone. The thallium(III) nitrate gets reduced to thallium(I) nitrate. Both of these heavy-metal compoimds are very poisonous and, unlike organic chemicals, the heavy metals persist forever in the environment, and accumulate in the body. You want a bunch of thaUium around the house about like you want to be kicked in the teeth with a heavy pair of boots. 

Fig. 17. Isotopic abundances of thallium recorded electrically by FDMS and signal accumulation in a multichannel analyzer. For each measurement SO cyclic magnetic scans are performed, a natural abundance of thallium, theor. m/z 203 = 29.5%, m/z 205 = 70.5% > found m/z 203 = 29.2%, m/z 205 = 70.S%, standard deviation 0.18, mean error = 0.08 b stable isotope-enriched internal standard, measurement certificate of the Russian manufacturer (supplied by RohstofTEinfuhr GmbH, Diisseldorf, FRG.) isotope T1 = 87.0%, isotope T1 = 13.0%, found m/z 203 = 87.7%, m/z 205 = 12.3%, standard deviation 0.46, mean error = 0.20 c quantitative determination of thallium traces in brain tissues. Found m/z 203 = 43.01 %, m/z 205 = 56.99%, standard deviation 1.28, mean error = 0.57...

Fig. 18. Accumulated peak heights of the thallium isotope at m/z 203 (29.5 % natural abundance) as a function of the total sample amount of thallium desorbed in one FD analysis ...

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