Cobalt
Heavy metalA hard-metal component of tool steel, alloys, and some munitions.
Where it comes from in service
Hard-metal machining, alloy work, and tank/artillery rounds.
How it harms the body
Inhaled cobalt can inflame and scar the lungs ('hard-metal lung disease') and affect the heart and thyroid.
How long it stays in you
Cleared over weeks to months; lung injury can be lasting.
Where it goes — tap an organ to go deeper
ATSDR links inhaled cobalt to lung disease and heart effects.
Progressive lung scarring is possible with continued inhalation.
What to ask your clinician about
- •Pulmonary function testing
- •Cardiac evaluation if symptomatic
Bring this to your clinician and your VSO — they decide what testing and care, if any, is right for you. For general, whole-person ways to support your body, see Whole health.
Sources: ATSDR ToxFAQs: Cobalt. Drafted from the government's and science's own record — VA presumptive lists (PACT Act, 38 CFR, Camp Lejeune), ATSDR ToxFAQs, IARC, and NTP. Sources are cited on every page, and this library has not yet been reviewed by a named clinician or toxicologist. This is documentation to bring to your clinician and VSO — not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a determination of service connection. Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1.