Principal Investigator Harold Hemond
Indium is an important metal whose production is increasing dramatically due to new uses in the rapidly growing electronics, photovoltaic, and LED industries. Increases of its usage by one or more orders of magnitude within the next few years are very possible. Yet little is known about the natural or industrial cycling of indium, and toxicological data are incomplete. The investigation of the environmental behavior of indium focuses on current and possible future releases of indium to both the air and water environment, with a focus on the magnitudes and the chemical forms of these fluxes. Improved understanding of the anthrobiogeochemical cycle of indium will allow informed decisions about its future use, handling, and disposal.