Teo XLR

Let's get back to the sound of the Teos, can we?

Tbg,
You state: "I think you have greatly exaggerated concerns about this metal [indium]."

With all due respect, when commenting on the toxicity of indium I have referred only to publicly available information that clearly indicates that indium is highly toxic even in the form of vapor. But I believe I am putting everything in its proper perspective when I state "I don't believe we are facing this kind of imminent danger. But, with the passage of time, if these cables were shown to leak indium liquid or vapor with prolonged use, then there would, at that time, be a real health issue in many homes."

Regarding exporting mercury to Latin America and South America, I believe you have helped prove an important point I am trying to make. It is traditional business practice that when companies in North America are forbidden by new regulations from using various products, those companies find a way to export them to countries that are unregulated.

We can see this in the export history of toxic pesticides, asbestos (96% of Canada's deadly asbestos production is now destined for overseas unregulated markets) and various mercury products. The fact that these various products are being used overseas is not an indication that there is no health danger associated with their use.

On the contrary, the dangers have been already recognized "at home" which is why they are found overseas and not "at home". Overseas marketing of toxic products is an indication that companies have been forced by regulation to develop a new marketing strategy when these products are recognized as dangerous "at home" and their use is restricted or prohibited.

You have also helped prove my point when you refer to lead-free solder. For decades it was not considered hazardous to use lead solder. But now that the health dangers of using lead are widely recognized and lead products are regulated, there are other marketing strategies that are being used by lead producers so that they can continue to sell their products. Lead solder is widely available overseas.

In the future, it may well come to pass that solder containing indium will also become regulated when the toxic danger of indium vapor is more widely recognized. It is not unusual that the process involved in recognizing industrial toxins and regulating them can take years and often decades. This is a slow process. In the interim, it does not mean that these products do not pose a danger. They do. It just means that the regulatory process takes a long time to evolve. At the root of this process is legal liability.

Ghostinmachine,
I doubt anyone would be so foolish as to take one of these cables apart. My concern is actually over possible long-term release of vapors. Since indium vapor has not been sufficiently tested but is recognized as being toxic this could become a future concern.

Please note that mercury vapor is highly toxic. A research dentist died in Canada years ago after experimenting with the manufacture of mercury amalgam fillings in his apartment in Vancouver, BC. The entire apartment building was condemned. It was quite a story.

That having been said, indium vapor is not as toxic as mercury vapor. But, on the other hand, not enough testing has been done to determine just how toxic indium vapor actually is and what, if any, health hazard long-term exposure to indium vapor might pose. There is just not enough evidence out there to allow us to make a definitive risk assessment. We do not know if the news will be good or bad.

Sabai, mercury vapor is hard to produce. It is, however, one of the reasons why mercury vapor rectifier tubes are no longer made. Ultimate all the mercury vapor got out through the glass.

There actually is little researcher concern about indium toxicity.