# Is Boron Arsenide toxic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847 "2018-06-27T16:17:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/1 "2018-06-27T16:17:59Z")
Specifically cubic boron arsenide. I read that in the future people might use cubic boron arsenide in electronic devices because its a more powerful and cheaper thermal conductor than diamond. But wouldn’t that result in toxic arsenic getting everywhere? Imagine a computer that spews out arsenic in the air when you run it. Or your phone putting small amounts of arsenic on your hands. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/2 "2018-06-27T16:23:12Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > But wouldn’t that result in toxic arsenic getting everywhere? No. > [@](#): > > Imagine a computer that spews out arsenic in the air when you run it. Or your phone putting small amounts of arsenic on your hands. Your computer and phone aren’t spewing out the materials used to make them. Electronics in general already contain lots of hazardous materials, and are designed to keep them contained, because otherwise they stop functioning. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/3 "2018-06-27T16:31:41Z")
If your computer is spewing a vaporized fraction of its semiconductor substrate, that’s because you’re letting the blue smoke out. Which is something to avoid on principle, and not because of the purported toxicity of the materials. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/4 "2018-06-27T16:37:27Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > Specifically cubic boron arsenide. I read that in the future people might use cubic boron arsenide in electronic devices because its a more powerful and cheaper thermal conductor than diamond. > But wouldn’t that result in toxic arsenic getting everywhere? > Imagine a computer that spews out arsenic in the air when you run it. Or your phone putting small amounts of arsenic on your hands. You know those LEDs that are umm… _everywhere_? OMG! They have arsenic, too! And Lead! ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/5 "2018-06-27T17:06:00Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Electronics in general already contain lots of hazardous materials, and are designed to keep them contained, because otherwise they stop functioning. This. The toxic components of modern electronic devices don’t pose a hazard to users, unless they actually catch fire - and you shouldn’t be inhaling any of that smoke, even if it wasn’t made with boron arsenide. > [@Contemplation](#): > > Imagine a computer that spews out arsenic in the air when you run it. That sounds awful. Why do you imagine a computer would do that? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/6 "2018-06-27T18:00:05Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > Specifically cubic boron arsenide. I read that in the future people might use cubic boron arsenide in electronic devices because its a more powerful and cheaper thermal conductor than diamond. > […] > Imagine a computer that spews out arsenic in the air when you run it. Ah, but imagine a computer that spews out _diamonds_ into the air when you run it! ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/7 "2018-06-27T18:19:04Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Ah, but imagine a computer that spews out _diamonds_ into the air when you run it! I’d buy _that_ for a dollar! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-boron-arsenide-toxic/816847/8 "2018-06-27T18:34:36Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > Specifically cubic boron arsenide. I read that in the future people might use cubic boron arsenide in electronic devices because its a more powerful and cheaper thermal conductor than diamond. Since nobody has figured out how to make it, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.