It exists abundantly in the mineral borax. There are two allotropes that belong to boron; black metallic boron and amorphous boron which is a brown powder. The metallic appearance is hard and conducts poorly at room temperature.
Boron is used for the manufacture of enamels and borosilicate glass, mainly in kitchen utensils. It is also used to obtain special high impact steels and other alloys. Thanks to its enormous hardness, it is used in the form of carbide, for the creation of abrasives. Boron has various important applications in the field of atomic energy.
It is used in instruments built to count and detect neutron emissions. Due to its enormous ability to absorb neutrons, it is used to dampen the controls of nuclear reactors and as a component of neutron shields. Dissolved boric acid is used as an antiseptic for the nose and eyes. Boron carbide is used as an alloying agent and abrasive.
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Electron configuration of boron
Health effects of boron
Boron occurs naturally in the environment as it is released into soil, air and water through erosion processes.
It can also appear in groundwater in very small amounts. People use boron in glass industries, but the release of this element by humans is lower than the concentrations released by natural weathering processes.
Plants consume boron from the soil and this ends up in the food chain through the consumption of these plants by animals. This element is found in animal tissues but does not accumulate. When animals consume large amounts of boron in a short time through water or food, the male’s reproductive organs are affected. When animals are exposed to boron during pregnancy, their offspring may exhibit growth retardation and birth defects. They also suffer from nose irritation when animals breathe Boro.
Effects of boron on the environment
Humans can be exposed to boron through the consumption of vegetables, fruits, air, water and food. Eating meat or fish does not increase the boron concentration in the human body because it does not accumulate in animal tissues. Exposure to boron through water and air is rare, but there is a possibility of exposure to dust in the work environment.
Exposure to boron can also result from the consumption of cleaning products and cosmetics. When humans ingest large amounts of foods containing this element, the boron concentration in the body can cause health problems that infect the liver, stomach, brain, kidneys and eventually lead to death. When exposure occurs with small amounts, irritation occurs in the throat, nose and eyes.
Boron lowering
By its nature, boron is not readily eliminated in aqueous matrices. Conventional techniques of sedimentation, coagulation and reverse osmosis are not 100% infallible. Some research entities indicate that the application of resin systems in which ion exchange occurs with activated carbon and zeolites is more recommended to reduce this element.
