The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US warns that chronic exposure can cause “hard metal disease” and even skin contact with cobalt salts or hard metals can result in rashes. High concentrations of cobalt have been linked to the death of crops and worms vital for soil fertility. Earlier research has detected side-effects including diarrhoea, headaches, blood pressure changes and damage to the immunological system. It considered pregnant women who ingest food or drinks containing high levels of the chemical at greatest risk. “The appearance of cobalt levels exceeding the environmental threshold levels has led, however, to disturbances in the proper functioning of living organisms,” the paper concluded.Īnother paper said extended blood concentrations of more than 700 µg led to heart problems and impaired eyesight and hearing. A study this year noted that global production had increased more than sevenfold between 20 with an increasingly evident impact. It is also potentially exposing humans and other species to greater doses. These lithium-ion batteries are increasingly in demand for electric cars, laptops and mobile phones, which means cobalt – once deemed a worthless chemical – is now the object of a geo-strategic rivalry between the world’s biggest economies. In the form of cobalt sulphate, it is particularly important in lithium batteries, where it acts as a cathode stabiliser. Cobalt is used in alloys, semiconductors, fertiliser, as a drying agent for varnish and enamel coating for steel. More recently, German doctors have questioned whether surgical implants containing cobalt might also be causing hypersensitivity reactions. A surge of fatal heart attacks among heavy drinkers, who also had poor diets, was linked to the cobalt additive. They were first discovered in the 1960s, when a Canadian brewer started adding cobalt to beer to ensure a consistently foamy head. But the dangers of high doses are increasingly apparent.
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