The dragon's egg firework was created in the late 20th century, compared to other fireworks that date back to ancient China. The original design was made with lead tetroxide. This chemical is very sensitive both to friction and impact. This makes the compound highly explosive. Lead tetroxide also is extremely toxic and can have some serious health effects. If lead tetroxide is inhaled, it can make it hard to breathe, and cause chest pain. If ingested, it can lead to lead poisoning, neurological damage, and in extreme cases even death.
Once the effects of lead tetroxide were discovered, the dragon's egg firework was then created using bismuth trioxide (Bi2O3). Bismuth trioxide is commonly used as a non-toxic substitute to lead compounds in pyrotechnics.
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