Thallium, Blood

Use

Detecting toxic exposure using whole blood specimens. Thallium is odorless, tasteless and found in trace amounts in the earth's crust. It is used in the manufacturing of electronic devices, switches, and closures, and had previously been used in rodenticides. The greatest exposure can occur from eating food, like fruits and vegetables, as it is easily taken up by plants. Accidental ingestion may lead to vomiting, diarrhea, leg pains, and later severe and sometimes fatal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy may occur within a week of exposure, while hair loss begins and continues for several weeks. Additional symptoms of acute ingestion include gastrointestinal pain, diarrhea, constipation, myalgias, chest pain, insomnia, optic neuritis, hypertension, cardiac abnormalities, Mees lines, and liver injury.