COBALT TOXICITY/POISONING WITH ANALYTICAL ASPECTS AND ITS MANAGEMENT

Cobalt is one of the essential Components found in trace amounts in human beings, has an atomic number of 27, molecular mass of 58.93 units and represented by the symbol Co. It is important for the formation of Cyanocobalamin or Vitamin B12. Normally a healthy diet contains 5 to 50g of cobalt in a day. Cobalt generally does not cause any toxicity or poisoning until the exposed to large amounts and for longer time period. Poisoning can be caused by three ways which includeSwallowing too much, inhaled too much in lungs and constant contact with the skin. Various effects are visible in case of cobalt poisoning which includes cardiovascular effects, neurological, haematological, immunological, dermatological, ophthalmological, gastrointestinal and reproductive system dysfunction. The biological samples which are analysed for cobalt poisoning includes urine, blood, serum and tissues. The various aspects along with the treatment and hospital management is discussed in this paper. Other than that, the analytical techniques which include HR-ICP-MS, XRF, UV Spectrophotometry, ICP-OES are also discussed which are used in the diagnosis.