No

2
3

4
5
6

9
10
11
12
13

14

15

16

17
18

19

63 Metals / Elements
Why Electronic waste is declared as hazardous waste?
63 Metals / Elements which are commonly used in electronic equipments.
Toxic side effects of these metals & elements are shown in below table.
Used In
Side effect
Aluminium
Heat sink, Condensers
Muscle weakness, Bone diseases, Speech
Problem, Lung problem, Brain disease &
disorder, Anaemia
Americium
smoke detectors,
Damage to organs
radiography equipment
Antimony
Batteries, diodes,
Irritation of the eyes, Skin, Lungs, Heart.
semiconductor, infrared
detectors.
Argon
Light bulbs
Dizziness. Dullness. Headache. Suffocation
Arsenic
wood preservative
Extremely toxic for whole body
Special type of glass,
Barium
spark-plug, vacuum
Breathing difficulties, Increased blood
tubes, fluorescent
pressures, Heart rhythm changes, Heart
lamps, paint, bricks,
damage, Stomach irritation, Muscle
tiles, glass, and rubber
weakness, effective for brains, liver &
kidney.
Beryllium
field of X-ray detection
Allergic reactions, Weakness, Tiredness,
(it is transparent to XBreathing problems, Chances of cancer
rays)
development, and DNA damage.
Various computer
equipment.
Bismuth
low melting solders
Inhalation problems, Skin reactions,
synthetic fibres and
Sleeplessness, Depression, Rheumatic
rubbers
pain.
Boron
Boron filament, Nuclear
Skin & Eye irritation, Nose bleeding,
reactor,
Mouth, Throat & Nose dryness, Hair loss.
Cadmium
Caesium
photoelectric cells, Light Damage of blood cells, diarrhoea, Coma
bulbs, electron tubes
or even death.
Calcium
Heating component
Kidney stone, Harms blood vessels
Cerium
Lightning equipments,
Bad effects on Liver & Lung
Florescent & Energy
saving lamps
Chromium
Alloys, Chrome plating,
Allergic reactions, Lung cancer
Mirror coating, Magnetic Nose irritations and nosebleeds.
tape
Upset stomachs and ulcers, Skin rashes,
Kidney and liver damage Cause of Death.
Cobalt
Gas turbine, Aircraft
Lung effects, Hair loss, Vomiting and
engines, Corrosion
nausea, Vision problems, Heart problems,
resistant alloys,
Thyroid damage, cause of Asthma &
Magnets and Magnetic
Pneumonia
recording media,
Copper
Machinery, Cables,
Headaches, Stomach aches, Dizziness,
Switches
cause of Liver and kidney damage &
Diarrhea.
Dysprosium
Nuclear reactor,
Mildly toxic by ingestion.
Erbium
used as a photographic
NA
filter, to dope optical
fibres at regular
intervals to amplify
signals.
Europium
Mercury vapour lamps,
Mildly toxic by ingestion
television tubes,

20

Gadolinium

nuclear power plant,

microwave application,
video recorders, CDs,
Computer memory
Nuclear weapons, Light
emitting diodes (LED),
electronic display and
watches.
laser diodes, light
emitting diodes, LED
Display
Transistors, Integrated
circuits
Infrared devices
To improve solder ability
Gold electroplating
magnetic flux
concentrator in nuclear
reactor
Nuclear reactors,
Sodium vapour lamps
Commonly used metal everywhere
colour televisions,
fluorescent lamps,
energy-saving lamps

21

Gallium

22

Gallium

23

Germanium

24

Gold

25

Holmium

26

Indium

27

Iron

28

Lanthanum

29
30

Lead
Lithium

31

Lutetium

32
34

Magnesium
Manganese

35

Mercury

electrical gear, such as

switches and rectifiers,
Batteries, Florescent
light,

36

Molybdenum

37

Neodymium

38
39

Neon
Nickel

Missile and Aircraft

parts, Alloys, Electrodes,
Circuit inks, Heat sinks
Microwaves devices
fluorescent lamps,
energy-saving lamps
Neon lamps
Alloy steels,
Rechargeable batteries
Gas turbines and Rocket
engines

40

Palladium

Air conditioning
equipments
magnetic bubble
memory devices
Flashlight photography
Used in iron and steel
production

low voltage electrical

irritate skin and eyes

Cause throat irritation, Difficulty breathing,

Chest pain, Partial paralysis.

Chest pain, Partial paralysis.

Harmful for Skin, Eyes & Blood

Skin & eye irritation and allergic reaction,

NA

Damage the heart, kidney and liver,

risk of lung cancer
lung embolisms, Cancer, liver damage.

Abdominal cramps & pain, Skin allergy

mildly toxic by ingestion
Muscle weakness, Lethargy & confusion.
Muscles weakness, Parkinson, Skin
problems,
Lung embolism and Bronchitis, Birth
defects, Blood clotting, Fatness, Glucose
intolerance,
Skeleton disorders Lowered cholesterol
levels, Changes of hair color Neurological
symptoms
effects nerve, brain and kidney damage,
lung irritation, eye irritation, skin rashes,
vomiting and diarrhoea, damage to brain
functions, DNA damage, Allergic reactions,
tiredness and headaches
Joint pains in the knees, hands, feet
It is Highly toxic

lung embolisms,
asphyxia , Cause of deep coma, & Death
Lung cancer, Nose cancer, Larynx cancer
and Prostate cancer, Asthma, Skin rashes,
Heart disorders

Skin & eye irritation, may cause skin

41

Phosphorus

42

Platinum

43

Polonium

45

Potassium

46

Praseodymiu
m

47

Rhodium

48

Rubidium

49

Samarium

50

Scandium

51

Selenium

52

Silicon

53

Silver

54

Sodium

55

Strontium

56

Sulphur

contacts,
sodium lamps
electrical resistance
wires, contact points,
optical fibre and liquid
crystal display glass,
especially for laptops
Photographic plates,
Nuclear reactor
Television glass,
Photography equipment
colour televisions,
fluorescent lamps,
energy-saving lamps
high-temperature
thermocouple and
resistance wires,
electrodes for aircraft
spark plugs, bearings
and electrical contacts
Photocells, vapour
turbines
carbon arc-lamp
electrodes, making a
new permanent magnet
material
colour televisions,
fluorescent lamps,
energy-saving lamps
Photocells, Light meters
& Solar cells,
AC to DC current
conversion component,
Storage batteries,
Anti-dandruff shampoos.

Semiconductor devices,
Photovoltaic cells,
Integrated circuit.
high-capacity zinc longlife batteries
sodium vapour lamps

special glass for

television screens and
visual display units,
space vehicles, remote
weather stations
Batteries

sensitisation.
Kidney, Heart, Liver damage, Skin burning,
stomach cramps,
DNA alterations, Cancer, Allergic for skin
and the mucous membrane, Damage to
organs, such as intestines, kidneys and
bone marrow, Hearing damage
Cause of cancer
irritate the eyes, nose, throat, lungs with
sneezing
lung embolisms, toxic by ingestion

Highly toxic and as carcinogenic.

Compounds of rhodium stain the skin very
strongly.

skin and eye burns, Failure to gain weight,

ataxia, hyper irritation, skin ulcers
mildly toxic by ingestion, Skin & eye
irritation

cause of lung embolism

Collection of fluid in the lungs, Garlic

breath, Shortness of breath, Abdominal
pain, Fever,
Heart and muscle problems, Bronchial
asthma
Red staining of the teeth and hair,
Diarrhea,
Irritation and tearing, Enlarged liver,
Burning,
Bronchitis, Sore throat, Cause of death
Irritation to Skin, eye & Lung

Kidney, Eye, Lung, Liver, Brain damage, Anaemia

Kidney damage, high blood pressure,
irritating to skin, eyes, nose and
throat, loss of eye sight
cause cancer, damage to the genetic
materials in cells, Skin rashes.

Disturbance of blood circulation, Heart

damage, Effects on eyes and eyesight,
Damage to immune systems, Stomach
and gastrointestinal disorder, Damage to

57

Tellurium

solar panel

58

Thorium

Lenses for cameras and

scientific instruments,
electric lamps.

59
60

Thulium
Tin

61

Vanadium

62

Yttrium

63

Zinc

Tin coating, Food

preservation,
Electric circuits, Bell
metal,
Gas sensors
Jet engines, Nuclear
reactors

Color TV picture tubes,

Camera lenses,
Fluorescent lamps,
Energy-saving lamps,
Plastics, Negative
plates, printing inks
Electric batteries,
Photocopier paper,
Rubber production

liver and kidney functions, Hearing

defects, Disturbance of the hormonal
metabolism, Suffocation and lung
embolism
Headache, bad effects on the liver and
central nervous system
Lung disease, Bon cancer

Eye and skin irritations, Headaches,

Stomach aches, Sickness and dizziness,
Breathlessness, Urination problems

Cardiac disease, Skin rashes, Dizziness,

Inflammation of stomach and intestines,
Bleeding of livers and kidneys, Severe
trembling and paralyses, Nose bleeds and
throat pains, Weakening, Sickness and
headaches, Behavioural changes,
Damage to the nervous system,
Threat to the liver
Cause of cancer

Decreased sense of taste and smell,

Birth defects, Vomiting, Skin irritations
Stomach cramps