Metals in Medicine

Platinum is Used in Treating Cancer

Periodic table with Platinum Highlighted

Platinum is used in jewellery, and in catalytic converters.

Catalytic converters are used in car engines to convert polluting (TOXIC) gases (e.g. carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides) into gases normally present in air (carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen). Platinum acts as a CATALYST, which means that it speeds all these reactions up.

Conversion of harmful exhaust fumes to harmless gasses

Platinium is used in an anti-cancer drug called cis-platin. Cis-platin has 2 chlorines (Cl) and 2 ammonia (NH₃) groups arranged round a platinum (Pt) atom. It is used for chemotherapy to treat cancers of the neck, ovary and testes.

Cis-Platin

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Metals Are Essential for Life - Lithium treats mental illness - Carbonate - Why Are Fizzy Drinks Bad for our Teeth? - Iron compounds are essential to life - Iron Makes Our blood red - How Do We Get Energy From Oxygen? - Iron is Used to Make Steel - Platinum is Used in Treating Cancer - Cis and Trans? - Titanium is used to make hip replacements - Barium is used to see inside our bodies - Lead: a toxic metal that protects us from x-rays

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