Gerber G B, Léonard A
Teratogenicity and Mutagenicity Unit, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Mutat Res. 1997 Dec;387(3):141-6. doi: 10.1016/s1383-5742(97)00034-3.
The metalloid germanium has found widespread application in electronics, nuclear sciences and in medicine. General toxicity of germanium is low, except for the tetrahydride germane, and few observations on toxicity of germanium in man exist. Germanium is not carcinogenic and even appears to inhibit cancer development and, in the form of the organic germanium compound, spirogermanium, to destroy cancer cells. Germanium compounds have no mutagenic activity and may, under certain conditions, inhibit the mutagenic activity of other substances. High doses of germanium may result in an increased embryonic resorption, but possible malformations have been reported only after administration of dimethyl germanium oxide to pregnant animals. Germanium may thus be considered an element of rather low risk to man.
类金属锗在电子学、核科学及医学领域有着广泛应用。除了四氢化锗，锗的一般毒性较低，且关于锗对人体毒性的观察资料较少。锗无致癌性，甚至似乎能抑制癌症发展，以有机锗化合物螺锗的形式还能破坏癌细胞。锗化合物无诱变活性，在某些条件下可能抑制其他物质的诱变活性。高剂量的锗可能导致胚胎吸收增加，但仅在给怀孕动物施用二甲基锗氧化物后才报告有潜在畸形情况。因此，锗可被认为是对人类风险相当低的一种元素。
