Gallium spoons - how does the human body metabolize gallium?

[bizzder]

hi there, i came across this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIbYiO5BRYk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIbYiO5BRYk, and before I buy the set I'd like to know how the human body metabolized gallium metal/ions. I've read quite extensively on gallium metal, but I can't find much info on how the body processes gallium. Does anyone have sprecific info on this? what will happen if an amount is swallowed; how much is dissolved in the stomach? thanx!

 

[jim mcnamara]

"Gallium (Ga) is associated with a relatively low toxicity, but should be handled with care until more health data has been accumulated."

This is from an old MSDS (Material Data Safety Sheet) floating around here. I believe this is still correct. It does not give me personally the warm fuzzies about using a soft metal (chemists call it a poor metal) as a spoon. Pure Ga will melt in hot food and then react with acids in food. 29.7646 °C is the melting point. This means it will melt in your stomach or your mouth. It will also react slowly with stomach acid (HCl).

Gallium is not known to be an essential micronutrient. So there is earthly reason to ingest it. Even in extremely small quantities. Or flavor your food with it, for that matter.

Metabolic handling of gallium(III) as though it were iron(III), the gallium ion can interact with many processes in the body in which iron(III) particpates. I do not think you want Ga-based hemoglobin in your red blood cells, for example.

See this for an applications of Ga salts in medical research:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18475921

The other point is that pure Ga sells for ~USD100 per gram. I cannot view the video but I think this whole deal sounds fishy, to say the least. I am assuming these spoons are a Ga alloy of some sort, or the spoon would be unuable as a spoon for hot food, else it must have Ga electroplating(?). Otherwise the cost would be astronomical.