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Solder poisoning

Solder is used to connect electric wires or other metal parts together. Solder poisoning occurs when someone swallows solder in large amounts. Skin burns can occur if solder touches the skin.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

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Poisonous Ingredient

The substances in solder that can be harmful are:

• Antimony
• Bismuth
• Cadmium
• Copper
• Ethylene glycol
• Lead
• Mild acids
• Silver
• Tin
• Zinc

Where Found

Solder contains these substances. It may also contain other harmful substances.

Symptoms

Symptoms for lead:

BLADDER AND KIDNEYS

• Kidney damage

EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROAT

• Metallic taste
• Vision problems
• Yellow eyes (jaundice)
• Hearing loss

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Excessive thirst
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

HEART AND BLOOD

• Collapse
• High blood pressure
• Low blood pressure (shock)

MUSCLES AND JOINTS

• Paralysis
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Joint pain

NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)
• Confusion
• Excitability
• Hallucinations
• Headache
• Irritability
• Lack of desire to do anything
• Sleeping difficulty
• Tremor
• Twitching
• Uncoordinated movements
• Seizures (convulsions)

SKIN

• Pale skin
• Yellow skin (jaundice)

Symptoms for tin and zinc chloride:

BLADDER AND KIDNEYS

• Decreased urine output
• No urine output

EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROAT

• Burns in mouth and throat
• Yellow eyes (jaundice)

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

SKIN

• Yellow skin (jaundice)

Symptoms for ethylene glycol:

• Disturbance in the acid balance of the blood (can lead to failure of many organs)
• Kidney failure

Symptoms for cadmium:

• Kidney damage
• Reduced brain function or intelligence
• Reduced lung function
• Softening of the bones and kidney failure

Symptoms for bismuth:

• Diarrhea
• Eye irritation
• Gum disease (gingivitis)
• Kidney damage
• Metallic taste
• Skin irritation

Symptoms for silver:

• Grayish-black staining of the skin and mucous membranes
• Silver deposits in the eyes

Symptoms for antimony:

• Chemical burns
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Eczema (skin dryness and irritation)
• Headache
• Irritation of mucous membranes (mouth, nose)
• Stomach problems

Symptoms for copper:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Heart, kidney, and liver failure (uncommon)
• Confusion (uncommon)
• Fever

Home Care

Get medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the solder is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the solder was swallowed, give water to the person right away, unless instructed otherwise by poison control or a provider. Do not give water if the person is having symptoms (such as vomiting, seizures, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

• Person's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (and ingredients, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

Poison Control

Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

Tests that may be done include:

• Blood and urine tests
• Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs
• Chest x-ray
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the esophagus and the stomach

Treatment may include:

• Fluids through the vein (by IV)
• Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the poison
• Activated charcoal
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
• Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days
• Surgery to remove burned skin
• Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
• Dialysis (kidney machine)

Outlook (Prognosis)

How well the person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.

Outcomes depend on the type of poison swallowed:

• Ethylene glycol is extremely poisonous.
• Complete recovery from lead poisoning may take a year or more. It may cause permanent brain, nerve, or kidney damage.
• If the amount of zinc or tin swallowed is low, recovery should occur within approximately 6 hours.
• Skin color changes due to silver poisoning are permanent.
• Long-term poisoning with antimony and cadmium may lead to lung cancer.
• Recovery from acid poisoning depends on how much tissue has been damaged.

Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Burns in the airway or gastrointestinal tract can lead to tissue necrosis, resulting in infection, shock, and death even several months after the substance was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.

References

Nelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.

Theobald JL, Mycyk MB. Iron and heavy metals. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 146.

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Review Date: 11/2/2023  

Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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