Applications
Indium is used in low-melting fusible alloys and as a protective plate for
bearings and other metal surfaces. It can be used to form corrosion-resistant
mirror surface: when evaporated and allowed to deposit on glass it produces a
mirror as good a quality as that of Silver. Indium foils are used to assess what
is going on inside nuclear reactors. Finally, it is used as light filter in low
pressure Sodium vapor lamps.
Indium in the environment
Indium is not widely dispersed in the environment. Cultivated soils are reported
to be richer in Indium than non cultivated sites; some even have levels as high
as 4 ppm. Indium produced in idustry comes as the by-product of smelting Zinc
and lead sulfide ores, some of which can contain 1% Indium. Specimens of
uncombined Indium metal have been found in a region of Russia and an Indium
mineral, indite, has been found in Siberia, but it is rare. World production
comes mainly from Canada and is around 75 tonnes per year, reserves of the metal
are estimated to exceed 1500 tonnes.
Health effects of Indium
Indium has no biological role. In small doses it is said to stimulate the
metabolism.
Indium compounds are encountered rarely by most people. All Indium compounds
should be regarded as highly toxic. Indium compounds damage the heart, kidney,
and liver, and may be teratogenic.
Insufficient data are available on the effect of this substance on human health,
therefore utmost care must be taken.
Environmental effects of Indium
Since Indium is not widely dispersed in the envIronment, it poses no threat to
land or marine life. Environmental effects from the substance have not been
investigated.
