Lanthanum has no biological role.
Levels in humans
The abundances of the elements in humans.
- Human abundance by weight: (no data) ppb by weight
- Human abundance by atoms: (no data) atoms relative to C = 1000000
How much lanthanum is in your body? Find out here.
You can use this form to calculate how much lanthanum your body contains. Enter your weight in either kilograms or pounds and click the "Calculate" button. You must enter a number, not text! Elements for which there are no data will always give a value of zero for the weight, no matter what you put in the weight box.
Hazards and Risks
Hazards and risks associated with lanthanum:
Lanthanum compounds are encountered rarely by most people. All lanthanum compounds should be regarded as highly toxic although initial evidence would appear to suggest the danger is limited. Lanthanum salts may damage the liver. The metal dust presents a fire and explosion hazard.
References
- J.E. Huheey, E.A. Keiter, and R.L. Keiter in Inorganic Chemistry : Principles of Structure and Reactivity, 4th edition, HarperCollins, New York, USA, 1993.
- S. Budavari (Ed.) in The Merck Index, 11th ed., Merck, USA, 1989.
- N.N. Greenwood and A. Earnshaw in Chemistry of the Elements, 2nd edition, Butterworth, UK, 1997.