What Percent Of The Human Body Is Cobalt?

ABSTRACT. Cobalt is a relatively rare element of the earth’s crust, which is essential to mammals in the form of cobalamin (vitamin B₁₂). The adult human body contains approximately 1 mg of cobalt, 85% of which is in the form of vitamin B₁₂.

Is cobalt present in human body?

In the human body this element is present in amounts from 1 to 2 mg: we can find it in the heart, liver, kidney, and spleen, and considerably smaller quantities in the pancreas, brain, and serum [10, 11]. Cobalt is a necessary component of vitamin B¹² (hydroxocobalamin) and a fundamental coenzyme of cell mitosis.

What does cobalt do to humans?

It can harm the eyes, skin, heart, and lungs. Exposure to cobalt may cause cancer. Workers may be harmed from exposure to cobalt and cobalt-containing products. The level of harm depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done.

Who has the most cobalt?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the largest cobalt reserves in the world, at some 3.5 million metric tons as of 2021. As the total global cobalt reserves amount to 7.6 million metric tons, this means that the DR Congo’s cobalt reserves account for nearly half of the world’s reserves of the metal.

How long does cobalt stay in the body?

Elevated blood levels of cobalt and chromium ions can persist for at least 1 year after revision, especially in patients with high levels of exposure.

How do you remove cobalt from your body?

In the rare case that you have large levels of cobalt in your blood, you may need hemodialysis (kidney machine) and get medicines (antidotes) to reverse the effects of the poison.

What foods are high in cobalt?

Good food sources of cobalt include:

• fish.
• nuts.
• green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach.
• cereals, such as oats.

Is milk high in cobalt?

Some of the dietary sources that are abundant in cobalt include red meat, milk, fish, cabbage, figs and turnips. Check out this infographic to know about 5 foods super-rich in cobalt.

What country produces 70% of the worlds cobalt?

Events, Trends, and Issues: Congo (Kinshasa) continued to be the world’s leading source of mined cobalt, supplying approximately 70% of world cobalt mine production. With the exception of production in Morocco and artisanally mined cobalt in Congo (Kinshasa), most cobalt is mined as a byproduct of copper or nickel.

What country produces 70% of the world’s cobalt?

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is by far the world’s largest producer of cobalt, accounting for roughly 70 percent of global production. The country has been the top producer of the metal for some time, and its output increased from 98,000 MT in 2020 to 120,000 MT in 2021.

Is cobalt more rare than lithium?

These two elements are not particularly rare – cobalt can be found in most rocks, and lithium is the first metal in the periodic table and one of only three elements created in the primordial Big Bang. Lithium is the 32nd most common element on our planet.

What are the symptoms of too much cobalt?

Systemic toxic effects from excessive levels of cobalt include peripheral neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, vision loss, cognitive decline, cardiomyopathy, hypothyroidism, weakness, fatigue and polycythemia.

Do they still use cobalt in hip replacements?

Historically, this is made from titanium and/or cobalt-chromium metals. In the modern era of hip replacements, cemented stems (inserted with a surgical bone cement) are composed of cobalt-chromium metals.

Is there a blood test for cobalt?

Blood cobalt levels can be used in the assessment of occupational exposure or toxic ingestion. Symptoms associated with cobalt toxicity vary based on route of exposure and may include cardiomyopathy, allergic dermatitis, pulmonary fibrosis, cough and dyspnea.

How common is cobalt poisoning?

Systemic cobalt toxicity post-arthroplasty is extremely rare. The few known fatal cases of cobalt toxicity appear to be a result of replacing shattered ceramic heads with metal-on-metal or metal-on-polyethylene implants.

What is a toxic level of cobalt in blood?

A cobalt concentration <1.8 μg/L indicates a normal amount of cobalt exposure. A cobalt concentration ≥1.8 μg/L indicates high cobalt exposure and risk of systemic toxicity.

Do titanium hip replacements contain cobalt?

Background: Hip implants are usually manufactured from cobalt-chromium and titanium alloys. As the implants wear and corrode, metal debris is released into the surrounding tissue and blood, providing a potential biomarker for their function.

Does vitamin B12 contain cobalt?

Cobalt is a core element of vitamin B₁₂ (cyanocobalamin), which is essential for the prevention of anemia in humans¹.

Are tomatoes high in cobalt?

Total Co accumulation in tomatoes was as high as 873 μg g⁻¹ in roots, 124 μg g⁻¹ in stems, 167 μg g⁻¹ in leaves and 21 μg g⁻¹ in fruit–flowers. Cobalt was detected in all parts of the tomatoes, though not in fruit–flowers at lower treatment conditions.

Are potatoes high in cobalt?

In our study, foods showing the highest cobalt content are legumes, dry fruits/seeds, and potatoes (Table 2), with also high levels in sweets (particularly chocolate products), leafy vegetables, offal, and cheese (Supplemental Table S2).

What to avoid if you are allergic to cobalt?

What causes cobalt allergy?

• Jewellery [see Jewellery allergy]
• Metal household items (eg, cutlery, zippers, coins, keys,)
• Cosmetics – especially eye shadow, blushers, and compact powders [see Contact reactions to cosmetics]
• Leather.
• Clothing and shoes [see Textile contact dermatitis, Shoe contact dermatitis]
• Hair dye.