Is Tungsten Toxic?

In 2007, the New England area experienced a scare after published reports suggested that tungsten had leached into various waterways. Certain compounds of the tungsten element show signs of toxicity.

Classification
Tungsten falls into the heavy metal category under the VIB group on the periodic table. Tungsten displays an extreme melting point as well as a high density. Tungsten has the ability to form a vast variety of compounds.

Warning
Various compounds of the metal tungsten have been proven to show signs of toxicity. Some of the most common toxic compounds of tungsten include nitrides, silicides, borides and oxides. Elemental tungsten often gets confused with the compounds of tungsten that display toxic characteristics. Finding elemental tungsten in a water system does not warrant an alarm as the toxicity of the elemental form of tungsten remains insignificant.

Leaching
Tungsten in its pure metallic form can not leach into water. Elemental tungsten has an insoluble composition when introduced to water. Tungsten also has a density 19 times greater than the density of water, making the transportation of tungsten by water nearly impossible.

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