Elements · ← Sb Antimony · I Iodine →
Tellurium is not known to be essential to life, and its soluble forms are toxic.
| Symbol | Te |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 52 |
| Standard atomic weight | 127.6 |
| Group | 16 |
| Period | 5 |
| Block | p-block |
| Category | Metalloid |
| Standard state | Solid |
| Discovered | 1782 |
Source: PubChem, Tellurium (periodic table data, retrieved 2026-10-19). Group and period follow the standard 18-column periodic table.
Chasteen and colleagues reviewed tellurium biology: unlike selenium it has not been found to be an essential trace element, and its soluble oxyanions tellurite and tellurate are toxic to most forms of life even at very low concentrations.
As reported in: Chasteen, Fuentes, Tantaleán et al. (2009). Tellurite: history, oxidative stress, and molecular mechanisms of resistance. FEMS Microbiology Reviews. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6976.2009.00177.x
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