Palladium: Environmental Health Criteria Series No. 226

Palladium is a steel-white, ductile metallic element resembling and occurring with the other platinum group metals and nickel. Palladium and its alloys are used in the (petro)chemical and the automotive industries as catalysts, in dentistry, and in electronics and the electrical industry. This book evaluates the risks to human health and the environment posed by exposures to palladium. The general population is primarily exposed to palladium through dental alloys or jewellery. There were case reports referring to palladium sensitivity associated with exposure to palladium-containing dental restorations, the symptoms being contact dermatitis, stomatitis or mucositis and oral lichen planus. Palladium ions are considered to be highly toxic to aquatic organisms. However, due to palladium's high economic value, emissions of palladium from point sources are currently minimal. Increased use of catalytic converters may increase palladium emissions from diffuse sources. It was recommended that these emissions should be controlled to be as low as possible.