Editing Gold (section)

== Toxicity ==
Pure metallic (elemental) gold is non-toxic and non-irritating when ingested<ref>{{cite web |last=Dierks |first=S. |title=Gold MSDS |url=http://www.espi-metals.com/msds's/gold.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110104358/http://www.espi-metals.com/msds%27s/gold.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 November 2006 |publisher=Electronic Space Products International |date=May 2005 |access-date=21 December 2021 }}</ref> and is sometimes used as a food decoration in the form of [[gold leaf]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4zK6CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 |title=Gold Nanoparticles for Physics, Chemistry and Biology |last1=Louis |first1=Catherine |last2=Pluchery |first2=Olivier |date=2012 |publisher=World Scientific |isbn=978-1-84816-807-7}}</ref> Metallic gold is also a component of the alcoholic drinks [[Goldschläger]], [[Gold Strike (drink)|Gold Strike]], and [[Goldwasser]]. Metallic gold is approved as a [[food additive]] in the EU ([[E number|E175]] in the [[Codex Alimentarius]]). Although the gold ion is toxic, the acceptance of metallic gold as a food additive is due to its relative chemical inertness, and resistance to being corroded or transformed into soluble salts (gold compounds) by any known chemical process which would be encountered in the human body.

Soluble compounds ([[gold salts]]) such as [[gold(I,III) chloride|gold chloride]] are toxic to the liver and kidneys. Common [[cyanide]] salts of gold such as potassium gold cyanide, used in gold [[electroplating]], are toxic by virtue of both their cyanide and gold content. There are rare cases of lethal gold poisoning from [[potassium gold cyanide]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wright |first1=I. H. |first2=J. C. |last2=Vesey |date=1986 |title=Acute poisoning with gold cyanide |journal=Anaesthesia |volume=41 |issue=79 |pages=936–939 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2044.1986.tb12920.x |pmid=3022615|s2cid=32434351 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wu |first1=Ming-Ling |first2=Wei-Jen |last2=Tsai |first3=Jiin |last3=Ger |first4=Jou-Fang |last4=Deng |last5=Tsay |first5=Shyh-Haw |display-authors=5 |last6=Yang |first6=Mo-Hsiung |journal=Clinical Toxicology |date=2001 |volume=39 |issue=7 |pages=739–743 |title=Cholestatic Hepatitis Caused by Acute Gold Potassium Cyanide Poisoning |doi=10.1081/CLT-100108516 |pmid=11778673|s2cid=44722156 }}</ref> Gold toxicity can be ameliorated with [[chelation therapy]] with an agent such as [[dimercaprol]].

Gold metal was voted [[Allergen of the Year]] in 2001 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society; gold contact allergies affect mostly women.<ref name="Tsuruta-2001">{{cite journal |last1=Tsuruta |first1=Kyoko |last2=Matsunaga |first2=Kayoko |last3=Suzuki |first3=Kayoko |last4=Suzuki |first4=Rie |last5=Akita |first5=Hirotaka |last6=Washimi |first6=Yasuko |last7=Tomitaka |first7=Akiko |last8=Ueda |first8=Hiroshi |title=Female predominance of gold allergy |journal=Contact Dermatitis |volume=44 |issue=1 |year=2001 |pages=48–49 |doi=10.1034/j.1600-0536.2001.440107-22.x |pmid=11156030|s2cid=42268840 }}</ref> Despite this, gold is a relatively non-potent contact allergen, in comparison with metals like [[nickel]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brunk |first=Doug |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-176478357.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624033428/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-176478357.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 June 2011 |title=Ubiquitous nickel wins skin contact allergy award for 2008 |date=15 February 2008}}</ref>

A sample of the fungus ''[[Aspergillus niger]]'' was found growing from gold mining solution; and was found to contain cyano metal complexes, such as gold, silver, copper, iron and zinc. The fungus also plays a role in the solubilization of heavy metal sulfides.<ref>{{cite book |last=Singh |first=Harbhajan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WY3YvfNoouMC&pg=PA533 |title=Mycoremediation: Fungal Bioremediation |page=509 |isbn=978-0-470-05058-3 |date=2006|publisher=John Wiley & Sons }}</ref>