Is bismuth safe to handle (touching, carrying it around....)?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the safety of handling bismuth, particularly in its pure form, and concerns regarding its toxicity and radioactivity. Participants explore the implications of touching, carrying, and melting bismuth, as well as the potential risks associated with its use in cooking utensils.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience of melting bismuth into an ingot and questions its safety for handling with bare hands.
  • Another participant references a Wiki article indicating that bismuth is relatively safe and less toxic than other heavy metals, but cautions that it can still be harmful in sufficient quantities.
  • Multiple participants assert that bismuth does not emit alpha particles, with one noting that bismuth-209 is weakly radioactive but has an extremely long half-life.
  • Concerns are raised about contamination of cooking utensils used with bismuth, with participants advising against using the same pan for food preparation after handling bismuth.
  • Some participants suggest wearing gloves when handling bismuth to avoid potential risks.
  • A participant expresses confusion about the sudden concern regarding bismuth's safety, noting its low toxicity as a heavy metal.
  • Discussion includes mention of interesting properties of bismuth alloys, such as their behavior when solidifying.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the safety of handling bismuth without precautions, as some participants assert it is safe while others recommend caution. Disagreement exists regarding the radioactivity of bismuth, with conflicting statements about its emission of alpha particles and its classification as radioactive.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various sources, including Wikipedia and scientific literature, but there are unresolved questions about the implications of bismuth's weak radioactivity and its handling safety. The discussion also reflects differing interpretations of toxicity and contamination risks.

BetaZeta2016
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I recently received a 200g sample of pure (99.99%) bismuth for my little element collection.
This thing is so cool!

It was all broken in pieces and almost powdered, so i melted it into a beautiful ingot using my kitchen stove.

Is this metal safe to touch and/or handle with bare, unprotected hands?
And also, will the alpha particles coming from the sample do any harm to me?
 
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Based on the Bismuth's Wiki article on Toxicology and Ecotoxicology, it looks relatively safe.

Scientific literature concurs that bismuth and most of its compounds are less toxic compared to other heavy metals (lead, antimony, etc.) and that it is not bioaccumulative.
With "less toxic" being the key phrase here. That doesn't mean that it can't harm you in sufficient quantities or with careless handling.
BetaZeta2016 said:
t was all broken in pieces and almost powdered, so i melted it into a beautiful ingot using my kitchen stove.
I wouldn't use that pan for cooking anything else. :wideeyed:
 
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There are no alpha particles being emitted by Bismuth as Bismuth isn't radioactive.
 
DrDu said:
There are no alpha particles being emitted by Bismuth as Bismuth isn't radioactive.
Yes, for all practical purposes.
Bismuth has long been considered as the element with the highest atomic mass that is stable. However, in 2003 it was discovered to be weakly radioactive: its only primordial isotope, bismuth-209, decays via alpha decay with a half life more than a billion times the estimated age of the universe.
Weakly radioactive is a heck of an understatement here - that's a long half-life! :wideeyed:
 
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Borg said:
Based on the Bismuth's Wiki article on Toxicology and Ecotoxicology, it looks relatively safe.With "less toxic" being the key phrase here. That doesn't mean that it can't harm you in sufficient quantities or with careless handling.
I wouldn't use that pan for cooking anything else. :wideeyed:
Well, the bismuth didn't stick to the pan. I just knocked it in the bottom and the whole ingot fell off, with no leftovers.
Then i washed the pan thoroughly and it's ready for use with food again.I also wash my hands after handling it.
 
I just melted it so it is easier to handle and to make sure no dust or powder will be generated, that would be bad.
 
BetaZeta2016 said:
Well, the bismuth didn't stick to the pan. I just knocked it in the bottom and the whole ingot fell off, with no leftovers.
Then i washed the pan thoroughly and it's ready for use with food again.

Just because it didn't stick doesn't mean it is not contaminated.

I can only repeat what Borg said: I wouldn't use that pan for cooking anything else.
 
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Borek said:
Just because it didn't stick doesn't mean it is not contaminated.

I can only repeat what Borg said: I wouldn't use that pan for cooking anything else.

I understand. And will throw the pan away.

Thanks for the advice everyone.
 
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DrDu said:
There are no alpha particles being emitted by Bismuth as Bismuth isn't radioactive.
Bismuth IS radioactive.Just like a billion billion time longer than the age of the universe.Lead-209(i think)IS the heaviest stable isotope so far.
 
  • #10
Just wear gloves.
 
  • #11
Why does everybody have the jeebs about bismuth all of a sudden? I'll bet a lot of people have this in their medicine cabinet:

0030149003916_500X500.jpg

​
For years, bismuth minded its own business. Now, everybody's all up in bismuth's business about being radioactive or toxic. Its toxicity is quite low for being a heavy metal:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bismuth

Fun fact: bismuth expands when it freezes, like water does.
 
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  • #12
Yes bismuth is safe to touch.

There are several aloys of bismuth and tin that have interesting properties. One where when the metal freezes (solidifies) it first shrinks then over a period of hours expands to the size of the mold. It was once used to examine rifling. I think it's amazing.
 
  • #13
This isn't exactly the alloy I was thinking of but it has similar properties first shrinking after solidifying then over the course of hours expanding.

42.5% Bi
37.7% Pb
11.3% Sn
8.5% Cd

This came from google books
Technology: Handbook of Vacuum Physics
edited by A. H. Beck
 

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