Active Gallium is a powdery substance consisting of elemental Gallium that has been altered on a nano-scale to change its biochemical properties. Elemental Gallium is a boron-group metallic element, relatively common in Terra-like planets, that can be found in various ores. It is relatively non-toxic, and has a melting point of 30 degrees Celsius, allowing it to melt when held in the hand-equivalent of most sophonts, or just in warm conditions. While Gallium and its more well-known compounds have some medical uses in treatment of cancer and disruption of specific bacterial metabolisms, Active Gallium is an altogether different entity.

When supplied with a quantity of Gallium and other metals in a 10 degree or lower vessel, correctly programmed nanomachines can process the gallium into nanoscopic “parcels”, which consist of a core of pure gallium metal surrounded by tubules of carbon and an outer layer of gallium oxides and metal alloys. When introduced to the body, these gallium nanoparcels enter the circulatory system and attract toxic compounds to them, either by reacting with the oxide or ionised metal alloy patches on the parcel's outer surface. Once the outer layer is breached by chemical reactions, the pure gallium core, which is liquid due to the body's heat, flows outward by capillary action to surround the reaction sites. It them forms another layer of oxides and alloys and the process begins again. This continues until all of the gallium core is consumed, and typically the gallium-toxin complex is excreted. This encasement action is most effective when a toxic agent is first introduced to the body, when it is travelling to the sites or organs that it can cause disruption - the Active Gallium nanoparcels intercept and contain the majority of the toxins before they can cause harm. Regardless of whether it encounters a toxin or not, the nanoparcels are usually degraded by the body's own chemical reactions, or sequestered for secretion, within a short time period. It is best practice to apply Active Gallium shortly before or immediately on entering a toxic environment, and to leave the area as soon as practical.

Side effects may include low metabolism and reduced digestive uptake, as Active Gallium can cause some disruption of the body's metabolic and respiratory processes by interfering with nutrient uptake. In some cases especially large complexes can become lodged in the excretory organs such as the liver or kidney-analogue, and form a cyst over time. Most users admit that these side-effects, while unpleasant, are usually preferable to being poisoned.

Active Gallium is a type of Exotic Reagent - an Exotic Substance related to Corporeal Science. A physrep of some kind of coloured powder can be used to represent measures of this substance, small samples can represent one or two measures, while larger physrep samples can hold more.

A measure of Active Gallium can be applied a Character to provide some protection from Minor TOXIC Environments. This stacks with other sources of protection from TOXIC Environments. If you are entering a TOXIC Environment, the Encounter Referee will usually let you know, and may ask if you have any relevant protection. Even if the Environment effect is more powerful than this substance can protect from alone you will still have greater protection than none - you may be able to go longer before suffering a Condition, or may suffer a less severe version of a TOXIC Condition. It is important to note that this substance does not protect against weapon attacks or other direct sources of harm - only to the more distributed hazard of an Environment. The boost provided by this substance wears off 30 minutes after application. If your character is in an Environment causing TOXIC Conditions when this substance wears off, you should notify the encounter Referee, either as soon as is convenient, or at the end of the current encounter.

As with all Exotic Substances, a character with at least 1 rank in the relevant speciality (Corporeal Science in this case) can spend 1 minute of appropriate roleplaying to apply 1 measure of Active Gallium to a character. After this roleplaying, they should unpeel the sticker that represents this substance, and stick it to the affected Character's Character Passport. Most characters can only be under the effect of one Exotic Substance at a time, and applying Active Gallium to a character will cover up and negate any other Exotic Substance that is already affecting them.