Platinum is indeed a transitional metal, extremely wear and tarnish-resistant, appearing greyish-white when pure and sporting the "Pt" logo. I was surprised to read that it is more precious than gold, worth more than twice as much, and about 30x rarer!!
Platinum is often used in many kinds of medical implants, including pacemakers, and while studies have not revealed evidence that platinum free radicals are toxic to the body, it certainly seems like a logical concern any time a foreign object is introduced into our bodies. After all, some platinum complexes, while great for chemotherapy, have severe side effects such as irreversible kidney damage and deafness. Interestingly enough, platinum as jewelry is a safe choice for sensitive skin as it is hypoallergenic. I wonder what happens inside the body that makes platinum so potentially harmful, and if any of those effects, on a much smaller scale, have transdermal potential effects.
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