Food-Info.net> Topics > Food safety > Heavy metals

Yttrium (Y)

Yttrium is one of the rare elements, and can be found in houses in equipment such as colour televisions, fluorescent lamps, energy-saving lamps and glasses.

Yttrium can rarely be found in nature, as it occurs in very small amounts. Yttrium is usually found only in two different kinds of ores. The use of yttrium is still growing, due to the fact that it is suited to produce catalysers and to polish glass.

Yttrium is mostly dangerous in the working environment, due to the fact that damps and gasses can be inhaled with air. This can cause lung embolisms, especially during long-term exposure. Yttrium can also cause cancer with humans, as it enlarges the chances of lung cancer when it is inhaled. Finally, it can be a threat to the liver when it accumulates in the human body.

There are no negative health effects known of yttrium from foods, as yttrium concentrations in foods are extremely low.

Sources :http://www.lenntech.com/periodic-chart.htm