10. Toxicity and ecology

Germanium is a relatively non-toxic element, unlikely to cause significant damage to the environment. When recovered from ore concentrates, it is associated with arsenic and cadmium, about which precautions must be taken. These are the elements that need to be controlled in the vicinity of the plant, and which can cause environmental damage.

During germanium machining, grinding and polishing operations, inhalation of germanium does not cause any known health effects. Similarly, during coal combustion, the quantities of germanium contained in hearth ash, fly ash and stack gases have no known toxic effects.

Among germanium compounds, the hydride (GeH ₄ ) is toxic, as is the tetrafluoride (GeF ₄ ). The latter hydrolyzes in moist air, producing hydrofluoric...