Taras22,
Thank you for your detailed and considerate posting. I would like to respond to a number of the comments that you have made, if I may.
1. Regarding the safety of Galinstan you state:
"... please keep in mind that this testing procedure has been either vetted or replicated by numerous medical jurisdictions around the world ..."
Kindly note the following information on the Lenntech site:
"Indium compounds are encountered rarely by most people. All indium compounds should be regarded as highly toxic. Indium compounds damage the heart, kidney, and liver, and may be teratogenic.
Insufficient data are available on the effect of this substance on human health, therefore utmost care must be taken."
2. You state:
"But the fact that the Geratherm thermometers [that contains Galinstan which in turn contains indium] are used [sic] the world-wide medical community would seem be to a testament to the notion that these are considered safe products and not potentially dangerous as Sabai implies.
You have just proven my point. Mercury thermometers were used for many decades before they were universally recognized as being highly dangerous. Acceptance of product by the medical community is no guarantee of safety. On the contrary. Many toxic substances have been endorsed by the medical community throughout history.
3. You state:
"Now what Sabai's argument seems to strongly imply is that Geratherm has used a known highly toxic material in a way that would have a very good chance of harming people with the use of their products."
Actually, I have not implied this anywhere in my comments. In fact, I believe the chances of an accident happening are not very high with Teo cables -- at the moment. Nevertheless, having personally suffered from metal toxicity in the past, I think that any accident arising from a cable leak or from fumes being inhaled could be tragic and thus the safety aspect of this product must be thoroughly considered.
4. You state:
"His argument also implies that the testing that this product was subject to, was seriously flawed".
Up till now, everything I have read, including the information on the Teo site, suggests that they don't know what the actual toxic risk is for Galinstan and that not enough testing has been done on this product:
From the Material Safety Data Sheet on Galinstan on the Teo site, under Section 6: Health Hazards:
"To the best of our knowledge the chemical, physical and toxicological properties of gallium-indium-tin Eutectic blends have not been thoroughly investigated and reported."
Teo themselves admit that they don't know enough about the toxic risks of this product that they are marketing.
5. You state:
"First, be aware that only certain indium alloys are indeed toxic and they become a problem only if they are delivered parentally".
Please note that an NCBI study has shown the following:
"However, it is necessary to handle it [indium] more cautiously than before, because the pulmonary toxicity of inhaled indium has been identified."
6. You ask:
"Would it be ok to send the parts of this thread that list your concerns about Galinstan, and the danger it poses to humanity, to Geratherm?"
I don't see any problem at all with doing this. In fact, I would be very interested in reading the response from Geratherm.
7. You state:
"... lives may well be hanging in the balance ..." With all due respect, I believe this statement is a bit dramatic. I don't believe we are facing this kind of imminent danger. But, with the passage of time, if these cables were shown to leak indium liquid or vapor with prolonged use, then there would, at that time, be a real health issue in many homes.
8. Regarding your reference to a reward for my efforts, this surprises me because it never entered my mind. I am comfortably retired and I do not seek, or need, any reward for bringing to light what I consider to be a potentially serious health concern. With the emphasis on ""potentially".
9. My opinion, based on all available evidence, is that we should be cautious when considering using liquid metal products that contain indium.
Thank you for your detailed and considerate posting. I would like to respond to a number of the comments that you have made, if I may.
1. Regarding the safety of Galinstan you state:
"... please keep in mind that this testing procedure has been either vetted or replicated by numerous medical jurisdictions around the world ..."
Kindly note the following information on the Lenntech site:
"Indium compounds are encountered rarely by most people. All indium compounds should be regarded as highly toxic. Indium compounds damage the heart, kidney, and liver, and may be teratogenic.
Insufficient data are available on the effect of this substance on human health, therefore utmost care must be taken."
2. You state:
"But the fact that the Geratherm thermometers [that contains Galinstan which in turn contains indium] are used [sic] the world-wide medical community would seem be to a testament to the notion that these are considered safe products and not potentially dangerous as Sabai implies.
You have just proven my point. Mercury thermometers were used for many decades before they were universally recognized as being highly dangerous. Acceptance of product by the medical community is no guarantee of safety. On the contrary. Many toxic substances have been endorsed by the medical community throughout history.
3. You state:
"Now what Sabai's argument seems to strongly imply is that Geratherm has used a known highly toxic material in a way that would have a very good chance of harming people with the use of their products."
Actually, I have not implied this anywhere in my comments. In fact, I believe the chances of an accident happening are not very high with Teo cables -- at the moment. Nevertheless, having personally suffered from metal toxicity in the past, I think that any accident arising from a cable leak or from fumes being inhaled could be tragic and thus the safety aspect of this product must be thoroughly considered.
4. You state:
"His argument also implies that the testing that this product was subject to, was seriously flawed".
Up till now, everything I have read, including the information on the Teo site, suggests that they don't know what the actual toxic risk is for Galinstan and that not enough testing has been done on this product:
From the Material Safety Data Sheet on Galinstan on the Teo site, under Section 6: Health Hazards:
"To the best of our knowledge the chemical, physical and toxicological properties of gallium-indium-tin Eutectic blends have not been thoroughly investigated and reported."
Teo themselves admit that they don't know enough about the toxic risks of this product that they are marketing.
5. You state:
"First, be aware that only certain indium alloys are indeed toxic and they become a problem only if they are delivered parentally".
Please note that an NCBI study has shown the following:
"However, it is necessary to handle it [indium] more cautiously than before, because the pulmonary toxicity of inhaled indium has been identified."
6. You ask:
"Would it be ok to send the parts of this thread that list your concerns about Galinstan, and the danger it poses to humanity, to Geratherm?"
I don't see any problem at all with doing this. In fact, I would be very interested in reading the response from Geratherm.
7. You state:
"... lives may well be hanging in the balance ..." With all due respect, I believe this statement is a bit dramatic. I don't believe we are facing this kind of imminent danger. But, with the passage of time, if these cables were shown to leak indium liquid or vapor with prolonged use, then there would, at that time, be a real health issue in many homes.
8. Regarding your reference to a reward for my efforts, this surprises me because it never entered my mind. I am comfortably retired and I do not seek, or need, any reward for bringing to light what I consider to be a potentially serious health concern. With the emphasis on ""potentially".
9. My opinion, based on all available evidence, is that we should be cautious when considering using liquid metal products that contain indium.