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Name: Tellurium
Chemical Formula: Te
Form: Metallic gray or silvery tablets, coarse pieces, or granules
Odor: Faint, can give off garlic-like smell if handled
CAS Number: 13494-80-9
Common Uses: Alloying metal, semiconductor production, chemical catalysts, metallurgy
Physical State: Solid
Synonyms: None commonly used beyond tellurium
Main Risks: Breathing dust, fume, or powder causes headaches, dry mouth, sleepiness, metallic taste, garlic breath, stomach trouble
GHS Label: Warning with attention to chronic health effects and acute inhalation risks
Reactive With: Severe reaction with strong acids, oxidizers, halogens leading to release of toxic gases
Not Flammable: Solid form resists burning, but pulverized form poses combustion concerns
Routes of Exposure: Eyes, skin, ingestion, inhalation
Component: Tellurium, elemental
Purity: Usually high, over 99% for industrial and laboratory use
Impurities: Trace metals possible, not a significant hazard compared to tellurium itself
Inhalation: Remove the person to fresh air, watch for breathing problems, seek medical attention for persistent symptoms
Skin Contact: Wash thoroughly with soap and water, remove contaminated clothing
Eye Contact: Flush with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, seek prompt medical help if irritation continues
Ingestion: Rinse mouth, offer water, avoid forced vomiting, medical advice is needed, especially when large quantities are swallowed
Symptoms to Watch: Headache, metallic taste, drowsiness, garlic odor on breath and sweat
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Dry sand, special Class D extinguishers, cover with dry powder if feasible
Not Recommended: Water jets or foam as fine powder reacts vigorously
Hazardous Products of Combustion: Toxic tellurium dioxide fumes
Specific Techniques: Firefighters should use breathing protection and avoid stirring up dust during response
Small Spills: Sweep with care, avoid dust raising, place in a labeled container for recycling or disposal
Personal Protection: Respiratory protection, chemical-resistant gloves, goggles
Larger Releases: Ventilate area, isolate from ignition sources, prevent material from entering drains
Cleanup Advice: Use methods that keep dust down, like damp sweeping, and decontaminate surface with approved cleaners
Handling: Use in well-ventilated places, avoid creating dust or inhaling fume, keep away from eating or smoking areas
Storage: Keep in tightly sealed containers made of compatible material, store away from acids, oxidizers, halogens, and heat sources
Personal Hygiene: Wash hands after handling, change clothes if contamination occurs, avoid touching face
Control Methods: Exhaust ventilation at workstations, enclosed handling when practical, dust suppression controls
Respiratory Protection: NIOSH-approved respirators when handling powder or during processes creating vapor or fume
Eye Protection: Safety glasses or face shields
Gloves: Disposable nitrile or chemical-resistant gloves
Work Clothing: Lab coats or coveralls, laundered regularly
Exposure Limits: OSHA PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit): 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hour TWA), ACGIH TLV: 0.1 mg/m3 reported as time-weighted average
Appearance: Silvery, brittle, metallic sheen
Melting Point: About 450 °C
Boiling Point: About 990–1300 °C
Vapor Pressure: Low at room temperature, increases at high temperatures
Density: 6.24 grams per cubic centimeter
Solubility: Insoluble in water; reacts with acids forming tellurium compounds
Other: Crumbles into powder readily, emits garlic odor on contact with perspiration or acids
Stability: Stable under normal temperatures and pressures if kept away from incompatible materials
Reactivity: Reacts with oxidizers, strong acids, halogens, sometimes violently at elevated temperatures
Hazardous Products: Produces toxic tellurium dioxide fume when heated in air, forms volatile compounds when strong acids are present
Polymerization: Not a risk
Conditions to Avoid: Heat, flame, contact with acid or oxidizing chemicals
Inhalation: Causes headache, garlic-like breath, metallic taste, mild to moderate respiratory tract irritation, sleepiness, nausea
Ingestion: Strong aftertaste, possible stomach pain, vomiting, and the same garlic breath symptoms
Chronic Effects: Prolonged exposure sometimes linked to tellurium lines in fingernails and persistent garlic smell, with no clear cancer connection
Skin: Minor irritation possible, no evidence for chronic toxicity from skin contact
Sensitization: No reliable proof in humans, but metal allergies are not impossible
Target Organs: Likely to impact nervous system and gastrointestinal tract at significant doses
Aquatic Impact: Tellurium compounds can persist in water, may accumulate in bottom sediments
Bioaccumulation: Moderate tendency, especially if exposed as fine particles
Other Effects: High doses affect aquatic plants and animals, but large releases into rivers or lakes are rare due to its industrial handling
Mobility: Not highly mobile in soil, sticks to particles, does not evaporate or break down easily in ground or water
Waste Methods: Collect and label all waste pieces for recycling whenever possible, as tellurium is a valuable but limited resource
Disposal Advice: If recycling is unavailable, follow local hazardous waste rules, avoid throwing into drains or municipal trash
Incineration: Not suitable; risk of releasing toxic metals and oxides
Container Handling: Rinse empty packaging with care and dispose under hazardous materials guidelines
DOT Classification: Handled as a hazardous material by road or air when packed as powder in large quantity
Packaging: Shipped in secure, sealed containers, labeled for “Toxic Solid” in many regions
Special Precautions: Transport away from acids and oxidizers, make sure packages do not get crushed or dropped
Restrictions: Bulk shipping may require additional documentation and permits in many countries
U.S. Regulations: Covered under OSHA workplace safety rules, EPA hazardous substances list, and some state-specific registration requirements
International: Listed in several chemical inventories including EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan; subject to strict workplace exposure monitoring
Labelling: “Toxic” or “Harmful” markings required in the workplace
Community Right-to-Know: Required by federal and state regulations in the U.S. for quantities above certain thresholds
RoHS/REACH: May have restrictions in electronic goods for certain uses in Europe
