Colourful cadmium is a favourite of artists – think cadmium yellow.
Cadmium pigments are heat resistant up to 3000°C, and are used to paint glass. Cadmium sulphide is imperial red and has been used to make red glass for the stop light of traffic lights.
But Professor Allan Blackman from AUT tells us it is also toxic.
Photo: RNZ
You can subscribe to the Elemental podcast for free, at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and RadioPublic.
The Elemental podcast is celebrating 150 years since the periodic table was first published by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev.
Find out more about events during the United Nation’s International Year of the Periodic Table.
Nights with Bryan Crump is also celebrating the chemical elements during their Friday night Sonic Tonic and Element of the Week.
Professor Allan Blackman is at Auckland University of Technology.
