Acute toxicity of cesium and rubidium compounds
Abstract
Primary skin and eye irritation (rabbit), cutaneous sensitization (guinea pig), and po LD50 (rat) studies were conducted on the hydroxides of cesium, rubidium, and potassium and the iodides of cesium and rubidium. The hydroxides of cesium and rubidium were markedly more toxic than the iodides. The order of po toxicity of the hydroxides was potassium > rubidium > cesium; cesium iodide was more toxic than rubidium iodide. Potassium hydroxide was irritating to both intact and abraded skin, whereas cesium and rubidium hydroxide were irritating only to abraded skin. The iodides of cesium and rubidium did not affect the eye or skin. It was concluded that personal protective equipment and clothing should be worn when working with cesium, rubidium, or potassium hydroxides. These studies indicate that cesium and rubidium are only slightly toxic on an acute toxicologic basis and would pose an acute health hazard only when ingested in large quantities.
- Publication:
-
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
- Pub Date:
- January 1975
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0041-008X(75)90216-1
- Bibcode:
- 1975ToxAP..32..239J