Biological significance
Ytterbium occurs only in minimal amounts in the body and has no biological significance.
Ytterbium and its soluble compounds are slightly toxic. Ytterbium is considered teratogenic; in a study with golden hamster embryos, skeletal changes such as fused or extra ribs or changes in the spine were observed after administration of ytterbium chloride.
Thomas J. Haley, N. Komesu, A.M. Flesher, L. Mavis, J. Cawthorne, H.C. Upham: Pharmacology and toxicology of terbium, thulium, and ytterbium chlorides. In: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 5, 1963, S. 427–436, doi:10.1016/0041-008X(63)90014-0.
T.F. Gale: The embryotoxicity of ytterbium chloride in golden hamsters. In: Teratology. 11, 1975, S. 289–295. PMID 807987.