| MadSci Network: Biochemistry |
Tin is relatively non-toxic, as it is not readily absorbed when it is ingested. However, inhalation of molten tin vapors can result in "adverse pulmonary effects" according to the Center for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). In general, it seems that compounds containing tin can be more toxic than metallic tin itself.
You can find more information about the toxicity and effects of tin by visiting the ATSDR's web site (www.atsdr.cdc.gov), and reading their Toxicity Facts for Tin and Tin Compounds page, and then by downloading additional materials from their Toxological Profile of Tin and Tin Compounds.
Finally, if you want to find out about the specifics of the toxicity of tin containing compounds, you can do a google search for the keywords "tin" and "LD50". The LD50 is the dose of a compound that will kill 50% of the test animals in a toxicity study.
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