Elements · ← Zn Zinc · Ge Germanium →
Gallium mimics iron, which lets it disrupt how some bacteria use iron.
| Symbol | Ga |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 31 |
| Standard atomic weight | 69.723 |
| Group | 13 |
| Period | 4 |
| Block | p-block |
| Category | Post-transition metal |
| Standard state | Solid |
| Discovered | 1875 |
Source: PubChem, Gallium (periodic table data, retrieved 2026-10-19). Group and period follow the standard 18-column periodic table.
Uses proposed by researchers are listed on Potential uses.
Kaneko and colleagues used gallium, which can substitute for iron, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: it inhibited growth and biofilm formation, killed bacteria in vitro, and was effective in two mouse lung-infection models.
As reported in: Kaneko, Thoendel, Olakanmi et al. (2007). The transition metal gallium disrupts Pseudomonas aeruginosa iron metabolism and has antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. Journal of Clinical Investigation. doi:10.1172/jci30783
Found by name, common compounds and chemical formulas in each entry.
Search Google Patents for gallium in biological and medical uses: all patents · recent applications (2022+)
A patent is a legal claim, not proof that something works. See the Patents page.