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Organic germanium is a man-made blend of germanium, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Common names include germanium-132 (Ge-132) and germanium sesquioxide. A 2012 study examined changes in rat fecal bacteria and found no correlation that Ge-132 accumulated in rat bodies by weighing the body organs.
How does germanium help the body?
There have been claims that germanium may be beneficial for health, including improving the immune system, oxygen supply in the body, and destroying free radicals. According to Healthline, germanium has also been considered to be beneficial in treating allergies, asthma, arthritis, HIV/AIDS and various forms of cancer.
What is organic germanium used for?
Other uses include heavy metal poisoning, including mercury and cadmium poisoning; depression; cancer; food allergies; and yeast and viral infections. Germanium is also used for increasing circulation of blood to the brain, supporting the immune system, and as an antioxidant.
Is germanium harmful to humans?
Germanium is not an essential element. Its acute toxicity is low. However, at least 31 reported human cases linked prolonged intake of germanium products with renal failure and even death. Signs of kidney dysfunction, kidney tubular degeneration, and germanium accumulation were observed.
Why is germanium bad for you?
Inorganic (elemental) germanium is LIKELY UNSAFE. This includes certain compounds such as germanium oxide. There have been more than 30 reports of kidney failure and death linked with use of these forms of germanium. It builds up in the body and can damage vital organs such as the kidneys.
Why is germanium important?
(The name germanium derives from the Latin word Germania [Germany] and was given to the element by Winkler.) Many other substances now also are used as semiconductors, but germanium remains of primary importance in the manufacture of transistors and of components for devices such as rectifiers and photocells.
Is germanium safe to handle?
Route of Entry: Skin Contact Skin Absorption Eye Contact Inhalation Ingestion Germanium metal is relatively non-toxic by all routes of exposure, particularly in massive forms.
Can you eat germanium?
Germanium and kidney damage On April 23, 2019 the Food and Drug Administration updated their ban on the import of all germanium-containing products that are promoted as drugs or dietary supplements for human consumption.
What foods is germanium found in?
Germanium is a naturally occurring element. Trace amounts can be found in foods such as shiitake mushrooms, garlic, tuna, and tomato juice. However, it is not an essential nutrient for human health.
What is germanium an example of?
The Germanium element is not doped with any impurities. Hence, it is an intrinsic semiconductor.So, Germanium is an example of an intrinsic semiconductor.
Is germanium a rare earth metal?
Rare earth elements are also expected to play a big part in the future. Cerium, the most common, is similar in abundance to copper and more abundant than lead, tin, cadmium, boron, tantalum, germanium and numerous other commonly used elements. Even so, rare earth elements are in short supply.
Is germanium radioactive?
Germanium 76 is slightly radioactive and is the least common. Germanium 74 is the most common isotope having the greatest natural abundance of the five. Under the condition of being bombarded with alpha particles, Germanium 72 generates stable Se 77.
Is germanium magnetic?
Abstract. The magnetic susceptibility of highly doped germanium has been measured between 300°K and 1.3°K. The contribution of the carriers to the susceptibility has been derived from the data.
Is germanium nonmetal or metal?
Most elements are either metals or nonmetals. Germanium falls in the same group as carbon and silicon, but also as tin and lead. Germanium itself is classified as a metalloid.
What does germanium stand for?
Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors silicon and tin. Pure germanium is a semiconductor with an appearance similar to elemental silicon.
What is the chemical symbol of germanium?
Ge
What are the main uses of germanium?
The largest use of germanium is in the semiconductor industry. When doped with small amounts of arsenic, gallium, indium, antimony or phosphorus, germanium is used to make transistors for use in electronic devices. Germanium is also used to create alloys and as a phosphor in fluorescent lamps.
What is arsenic used for?
Arsenic and arsenic compounds have been produced and used commercially for centuries. Current and historical uses of arsenic include pharmaceuticals, wood preservatives, agricultural chemicals, and applications in the mining, metallurgical, glass-making, and semiconductor industries.
What is the freezing point of germanium?
1,721°F (938.2°C).
Is germanium a hazardous material?
Fire and Explosion Hazards: Germanium dioxide is non-combustible and is a negligible fire or explosion hazard when exposed to heat or flame. However, acrid and irritating smoke can form at very high temperatures.
What are the characteristics of germanium?
Pure germanium is a hard, lustrous, gray-white, brittle metalloid. It has a diamondlike crystalline structure and it is similar in chemical and physical properties to silicon. Germanium is stable in air and water, and is unaffected by alkalis and acids, except nitric acid.
Who named germanium?
In 1886, Clemens Winkler discovered a rare mineral called argyrodite which contained silver, sulphur and an unknown element, which Winkler named germanium after his home country. 3.
What is germanium glass?
Germanium glass is what is called a high-density IR-transmitting material that blocks UV and VIS wavelengths. Germanium lets light in the wavelengths between 8000-14000 nanometers (the infrared spectrum) pass through and basically blocks all other light.
What is the boiling point of germanium?
5,131°F (2,833°C).
What’s Magnesium do?
What is magnesium and what does it do? Magnesium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.
Which is the rarest element on the Earth?
A team of researchers using the ISOLDE nuclear-physics facility at CERN has measured for the first time the so-called electron affinity of the chemical element astatine, the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth.
What is the atomic number of germanium?
32
What is selenium used for in everyday life?
Selenium is used to make pigments for ceramics, paint and plastics. Selenium has both a photovoltaic action (converts light to electricity) and a photoconductive action (electrical resistance decreases with increased illumination). It is therefore useful in photocells, solar cells and photocopiers.
Is Iodine a metal?
Iodine is a nonmetallic, nearly black solid at room temperature and has a glittering crystalline appearance. The molecular lattice contains discrete diatomic molecules, which are also present in the molten and the gaseous states. Above 700 °C (1,300 °F), dissociation into iodine atoms becomes appreciable.
