Zirconium - Special Uses

Small quantities of zirconium are also used for special applications. In photo flash equipment the very high flame temperature, 4660°C, can be used. Another use is as a scavenger material in the vacuum technique. The scavenger function implies that zirconium, when present in a heated evacuated container, removes any traces of oxygen present. 

Zirconium is apparently not an essential element for humans. The element shows generally low toxicity. 

Hamberger, Herstdlung der Elemente Thorium, Uran, Zirkonium und Titan, Z. Anorg. Chemie, 1914, 87, 209-228 

van Arkel,). H. de Boer, Darstellung von reinem Titanium-, Zirkonium-, Hafnium- und Thoriummetall, Z. Anorg. Chemie, 1925,148, 345-350. 

Nielsen, Zirconium and Zirconium Compounds , UUmann s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 5 ed.1996, Vol. A28, p. 543. Information obtained from online version 2002 

---