Cobalt poisoning Cobalt poisoning Cobalt poisoning is intoxication caused by excessive levels of cobalt in the body. Cobalt is an essential element for health in animals in minute amounts as a component of Vitamin B. A deficiency of cobalt, which is very rare, is also potentially lethal, leading to pernicious anemia. Exposure to cobalt metal dust is most common in the fabrication of tungsten carbide. Another potential source is wear and tear of metal-on-metal hip prostheses. The value for soluble cobalt salts has been estimated to be between 150 and 500 mg/kg. Thus, for a 100 kg person the LD would be
Isotopes of cobalt Isotopes of cobalt Naturally occurring cobalt (Co) is composed of 1 stable isotope, Co. 28 radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being Co with a half-life of 5.2714 years, Co with a half-life of 271.8 days, Co with a half-life of 77.27 days, and Co with a half-life of 70.86 days. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 18 hours and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 1 second. This element also has 11 meta states, all of which have half-lives less than 15 minutes. The isotopes of cobalt