Applications
Scandium is one of the rare chemicals, that can be found in houses in equipment
such as colour televisions, fluorescent lamps, energy-saving lamps and glasses.
The use of Scandium is still growing, due to the fact that it is suited to
produce catalysers and to polish glass.
The main application by volume is in Aluminium-Scandium alloys for the aerospace
industry and for sports equipment (bikes, baseball bats, etc.) which rely on
high performance materials. It has been shown to reduce solidification cracking
during the welding of high strength Aluminium alloys.
Scandium in the environment
Scandium can rarely be found in nature, as it occurs in very small amounts.
Scandium is usually found only in two different kinds of ores. Thortveitite is
the primary source of Scandium with Uranium mill tailings by-products also being
an important source. World production amount to only 50 kg per year. There is no
estimate of how much is potentially available.
Scandium is only the 50th most abundant element on hearth, it is distributed
widely, occurring in trace quantities in over 800 minerals. The blue color of
the aquamarine variety of beryl is thought to be caused by Scandium.
Only about 3% of plants that were analysed for Scandium shows its presence, and
even those amounts were tiny, with vegetable having only 5 ppb although grass
has 70 ppb.
Health effects of Scandium
Scandium has no biological role. Only trace amounts reach the food chain, so the
average person's daily intake is less than 0.1 microgram.
Scadium is not toxic, although there have been suggestions that some of its
compounds might be cancerogenic.
Scandium is mostly dangerous in the working envIronment, due to the fact that
damps and gasses can be inhaled with air. This can cause lung embolisms,
especially during long-term exposure. Scandium can be a threat to the liver when
it accumulates in the human body.
Effects of Scandium on the environment
Scandium is dumped in the environment in many different places, mainly by
petrol-producing industries. It can also enter the environment when household
equipment is thrown away. Scandium will gradually accumulate in soils and water
soils and this will eventually lead to increasing concentrations in humans,
animals and soil particles.
With water animals Scandium causes damage to cell membranes, which has several
negative influences on reproduction and on the functions of the nervous system.
