What Are Some Health Effects of Cobalt?

Cobalt is a naturally occurring element that can be found in rocks, soil, water, plants, and animals. This compound exists in non-radioactive and radioactive forms. Non-radioactive cobalt exists as a steel-gray, shiny metal and is used in producing alloys used for manufacturing. Radioactive cobalt is used in sterilizing medical equipment, irradiating food, treating cancer patients and for manufacturing plastics. Cobalt is beneficial for the body, but exposure to high levels of cobalt can be harmful.

Beneficial Health Effects

• Cobalt is beneficial for humans because it is part of Vitamin B12, which aids in the formation of normal red blood cells and maintains nerve tissue. Cobalt is therefore used in treating anemia in order to help produce red blood cells. Food sources of cobalt include green leafy vegetables, meat, liver, milk, oysters and clams.

Radioactive Cobalt Health Effects

• Radioactive cobalt is extremely dangerous for your health. The radioactive version of Cobalt, Cobalt-60 or Cobalt-57, can cause your cells to be damaged by gamma rays which penetrate the body. You do not have to touch radioactive cobalt in order for you to become harmed. Exposure to this radiation can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, coma, and even death. Cancer may also develop since the radiation exposure changes the genetic makeup within the cell.

Respiratory Health Effects

• Cobalt salts, cobalt metal powder and cobalt-containing dusts can be breathed in which will cause damage to your respiratory system. Breathing cobalt can cause asthma, pneumonia and inflammation of the nasopharynx and wheezing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has placed a limit of 0.1 mg of non radioactive cobalt per cubic meter of workplace air in an eight-hour workday and 40-hour work week.

Cobalt Effects on other Organs

• Cobalt can effect other parts of the body. Allergic dermatitis can occur on the skin. OSHA notes that ischemic heart disease has been noted to occur with workers exposed to hard metal dusts. Cobalt also has a goitrogenic effect found in workers exposed to cobalt for long periods of time. Progressive hearing loss and atrophy of the optic nerve is attributed to occupational exposure of cobalt powder over a period of 20 months.