Uses of Bismuth
Nov 25,2021
Bismuth has been used for centuries, although it is often confused with other metals with similar properties, such as tin and lead. Bismuth is one of the first elements known to man, although uses for it have been developing more recently than most others that have been known for a long time. Like water, the solid form is less dense than the liquid, known as a density anomaly.
Uses
Several bismuth compounds have been used medicinally.
Some are used for gastrointestinal distress (Pepto-Bismol
contains bismuth subsalicylate). Others are used as salves and,
in rare cases, for treatment of parasites. In the past, bismuth was
also used to treat syphilis and malaria.
Commercially, bismuth is also used in the manufacture of
permanent magnets, semiconductors, and thermoelectric
materials; as a catalyst in making acrylonitrile; and as an
additive to improve the machinability of steels and other
metals.
Bismuth is also frequently used in cosmetics, generally nail
polish and lipstick.
Environmental Fate
In aerated water, bismuth oxidizes; however, in an anaerobic
aqueous environment, bismuth is unaffected. Similarly, in the
atmosphere, bismuth is unaffected unless condensation or
deposition of water occurs.
Due to the inability for air and water to affect bismuth
under most circumstances, bismuth tends to persist until wet or
dry deposition, and therefore long-range transport is possible
and likely.
Mechanism of Toxicity
The mechanism by which bismuth produces toxicity has not been identified. Interaction with thiol compounds has been proposed as a primary mechanism.
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