Tin - 50Sn: biological information
Tin might be a necessary element in very, very, small quantities in rats. Organotin compounds are used as bactericides and fungicides in marine environments but cause environmental concern as they cause severe problems to local wildlife.
Levels in humans
The abundances of the elements in humans.
- Human abundance by weight: 200 ppb by weight
- Human abundance by atoms: 11 atoms relative to C = 1000000
How much tin is in your body? Find out here.
You can use this form to calculate how much tin your body contains. Enter your weight in either kilograms or pounds and click the "Calculate" button. You must enter a number, not text! Elements for which there are no data will always give a value of zero for the weight, no matter what you put in the weight box.
Hazards and Risks
Hazards and risks associated with tin:
The metal itself is not a major hazard. However, all tin compounds, especially organotin compounds should be regarded as highly toxic. Organotin compounds are used as bactericides and fungicides in marine environments but cause environmental concern as they cause severe problems to local wildlife.
References
- J.E. Huheey, E.A. Keiter, and R.L. Keiter in Inorganic Chemistry : Principles of Structure and Reactivity, 4th edition, HarperCollins, New York, USA, 1993.
- S. Budavari (Ed.) in The Merck Index, 11th ed., Merck, USA, 1989.
- N.N. Greenwood and A. Earnshaw in Chemistry of the Elements, 2nd edition, Butterworth, UK, 1997.