The German word kobalt came into French as cobalt , which later became cobalt . Cobalt is the chemical element whose symbol is Co and its atomic number is 27 . It is a metal that, due to its properties, resembles iron.
Cobalt has a reduced presence in the crust of our planet : it is generally found disseminated as arsenide or sulfide in various minerals. In mammalian animals, cobalt is one of the essential chemical elements since it is vital, although in reduced quantities.
Grayish or bluish-white or reddish in color, cobalt has been used in various ways for thousands of years. This metal has been used since ancient times to color ceramics, enamels and glass. A well-known dye, in fact, is called cobalt blue . Cobalt is also used in glass production and in the metallurgical industry.
Science has been in charge of characterizing more than twenty radioisotopes of cobalt: that is, radioactive isotopes of this chemical element. Among the most stable is cobalt 60 ( Co-60 ), which has several medical and industrial uses.
Cobalt 60 allows radiotherapy and sterilization of medical equipment. In this context, the device that uses cobalt 60 radiation is called a cobalt bomb in order to develop a localized treatment for certain diseases .
It should be noted that an increase in the level of cobalt in the body can cause poisoning with various negative consequences, while a decrease generates megaloblastic anemia.
Humans need a small amount of cobalt to maintain their health . When exposed to this element in excess, poisoning can occur, and for this there are three possible fundamental ways: allowing it to come into contact with the skin for a long time, inhaling it or ingesting it in considerable quantities .
In recent times, on the other hand, many cases of cobalt poisoning have been reported due to the deterioration and breakage of certain hip implants made with this material .
This implant consists of an artificial cavity in which a ball is fitted into a cup, both components made of metal; Over time, cobalt particles may be released as a result of the friction between them that occurs when walking. If the particles are released into the bloodstream, then poisoning occurs.
One of the most important vitamins for our body, B12 , has cobalt among its components, and this proves that we often become poisoned by consuming excessive foods, supplements or substances that are recommended to us to take care of our health. Among the everyday objects in which we can also find cobalt are batteries (also called batteries ), glass items, saw blades, drill bits, dyes and magnets.
At one time, cobalt was used in beer recipes, as a foam stabilizer. This gave rise to a disorder called "beer drinkers' heart," which caused myocardial weakness.
It is important to note that for the symptoms of poisoning to appear, it is necessary to be exposed to cobalt in high quantities for several weeks or even months; However, just by ingesting it in excess once they can also appear. Although the latter does not usually occur nor is it very dangerous, since the consequences can be vomiting or nausea, consuming it in excess for a long time can cause symptoms of considerable severity, such as:
* cardiomyopathy, a disorder characterized by excessive growth of the heart, which becomes flaccid and does not pump blood easily;
* considerable hearing loss;
* thickening of blood.