Tungsten, the growing heath concern

United States Solid Waste and EPA 505-F-11-005 Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Response (5106P) May 2012 1

Technical Fact Sheet –
At a Glance
Hard, steel-gray to tin-white solid.
Highest melting point among metals and is a good conductor of electricity.
Typically used in welding, oil-drilling, electrical, and aerospace industries.
Low solubility in water and high sorption (soil/water distribution) coefficients at low to neutral pH levels.
Questions are being raised about tungsten’s environmental stability.
Exposure may cause eye and skin irritation, cough, nausea, diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, and changes in blood.
No federal drinking water standard established.
Exposure limits set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).
Treatment methods for tungsten in environmental media currently under development. Methods under investigation involve ice-electrodes, electrokinetic soil remediation, and chemical recovery/soil washing.

TECHNICAL FACT SHEET– TUNGSTEN
Tungsten
May 2012
Introduction
This fact sheet, developed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO), provides a brief summary for tungsten, including: physical and chemical properties; environmental and health impacts; existing federal and state guidelines; detection and treatment methods; and additional sources of information.
Tungsten was originally considered a metal that remains stable in soil and did not dissolve easily in water. However, it is now a growing concern to EPA and the U. S. Department of Defense (DoD) because recent research indicates that tungsten may not be as stable as was indicated in earlier studies. Furthermore, varying soil properties such as pH may cause tungsten to dissolve and leach into the underlying aquifer (ATSDR 2005). Currently, little information is available about the fate and transport of tungsten in the environment and its effects on human health. Research about tungsten is ongoing and includes health effects and risks, degradation processes, and an inventory of its use in the defense industry as a substitute for lead-based munitions. This fact sheet provides basic information on tungsten to site managers and other field personnel who may be faced with tungsten contamination at cleanup sites.

“its use in the defense industry as a substitute for lead-based munitions”

I suppose the terrorists and bad guys will complain about being shot with a bullet that may cause cancer in survivors and the Geneva Convention will be altered to include tungsten ammunition as one of the no-no’s.

I didn’t see one solid fact concerning any health hazards in that info you posted.

A bunch of “may” this or that but no solid data on anything what so ever.

Most tungsten that we use is in the solid form. I can’t think of a single use for the average person, other than in the solid form.

So unless your eating your tungsten jigs instead of feeding them to fish, I really don’t see anything alarming in the information posted here.

If I were working at a tungsten manufacturing plant, my outlook may be different. But for the average user, the chances of you suffering any detrimental affects are probably so low that they are immeasurable.

Always good to keep folks up to date on stuff, very interesting. My Gramma always said man will destroy them selves in the world.

Thanks Brian.

Anyone ever figure out how to secure a hook to gravel I’ll start throwing stones.

Where’s that study on 4oz lead sinkers ruining the environment and killing eagles…

Thanks Brian…
Makes a guy think twice about messing with the stuff.

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Thanks Brian…
Makes a guy think twice about messing with the stuff.

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You don’t want to be taking any chances with this stuff. Maybe you should send me all your tungsten jigs. Always best to play it safe concerning these matters!

I think most of the concerns are directed at manufacturing where tungsten is used or in the refining process. I read somewhere that most of the tungsten found on planet earth is in the polar regions of Russia and in China’s ice cap area.

I also read where most products claiming to be tungsten are actually made from powdered tungsten and a super resin. Maybe the powdered or very fine tungsten is where the health concerns arise.

I haven’t quite jumped on this anti-lead bandwagon and since I don’t use any tungsten lures I don’t see myself getting all whooped up about the stuff. I don’t see tungsten as something a hobby minded person is going to have a lot of on hand. I’ll let someone else worry about it.

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Thanks Brian…
Makes a guy think twice about messing with the stuff.

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You don’t want to be taking any chances with this stuff. Maybe you should send me all your tungsten jigs. Always best to play it safe concerning these matters!

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x2 Joel

I was not talking about the finished product

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I was not talking about the finished product

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Its extremely unlikely that you will ever see the unfinished product much less get your hands on it.

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o unless your eating your tungsten jigs instead of feeding them to fish, I really don’t see anything alarming in the information posted here.

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You feed a fish a jig and get bit off, now what? You have a toxic fish that one day might get eaten, and who knows maybe the eggs will have the slightest metal residue, where after a dozen generations of this constant compounding of this toxic metal only to create robo-fish in 50years. Then they start attacking us humans not allowing us to fish anymore, what do you say then? I’m never using tungsten and am currently making up a glittery poster to go Pickett in front of local sporting goods store to take em off the shelves

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o unless your eating your tungsten jigs instead of feeding them to fish, I really don’t see anything alarming in the information posted here.

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You feed a fish a jig and get bit off, now what? You have a toxic fish that one day might get eaten, and who knows maybe the eggs will have the slightest metal residue, where after a dozen generations of this constant compounding of this toxic metal only to create robo-fish in 50years. Then they start attacking us humans not allowing us to fish anymore, what do you say then? I’m never using tungsten and am currently making up a glittery poster to go Pickett in front of local sporting goods store to take em off the shelves

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This will probably be the driving force behind a movement to outlaw tungsten by the eco bird lovers that pushed the banning of lead shot.

Seriously, of all the things you may worry about as you make your way through life, this one isn’t even on the radar.

The filament in incandescent light bulbs was tungsten, and billions of those have been discarded over the years.
(Now, all I have to do is figure out how to turn an old light bulb into a jig head…)

Just one more thing added to the “nothing is good for you” list.

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Seriously, of all the things you may worry about as you make your way through life, this one isn’t even on the radar.

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I like that comment Joel!!! Absolutely

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Seriously, of all the things you may worry about as you make your way through life, this one isn’t even on the radar.

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I like that comment Joel!!! Absolutely

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I’m happy to survive the obstacle course of texting teens on the way to buy a tungsten jig.

Very true on texting teens and driving…you should see those TT’s walk into doors, chairs, walls while texting at school…I always give them a wide angle.

I keep telling Brian, I don’t care about all that crap. All I want is a lure that falls fast through the water column even if the difference to lead is just a “blink of the eye”.

And I don’t use tungsten in open water. That’s just a waste of money.

People don’t realize, but humans are the cancer of the earth.
And for us to give up our amenities that have been introduced to us… fat chance!

Said the guy on the internet, powered by electricity, in his heated house …