If a sufficient amount of gallium enters the stomach, it will react with stomach acid and produce toxic substances that can be fatal.
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Gallium, also written as ga-li, is a chemical element with the symbol Ga and atomic number 31. It is a soft, silvery metallic element that is brittle at low temperatures but melts easily, just slightly above room temperature (29.8 °C), and therefore it will liquefy when held in a person’s hand. It occurs in trace amounts in bauxite and zinc ores. Its most important application is perhaps in the production of compounds such as gallium nitride and gallium arsenide, which are used as semiconductors, primarily in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The name gallium is derived from the Latin word for France, “Gallia,” commemorating the country. |
