0 ) ▁has ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁uses ▁as ▁a ▁neut ron - capt uring ▁agent . ▁ ▁In ▁bi ology , ▁bor ates ▁have ▁low ▁to x icity ▁in ▁m amm als ▁( similar ▁to ▁table ▁salt ), ▁but ▁are ▁more ▁to xic ▁to ▁ar th rop ods ▁and ▁are ▁used ▁as ▁insect ic ides . ▁Bor ic ▁acid ▁is ▁m ild ly ▁ant im icro b ial , ▁and ▁several ▁natural ▁bor on - cont aining ▁organ ic ▁ant ib iot ics ▁are ▁known . ▁Bor on ▁is ▁an ▁essential ▁plant ▁nut ri ent ▁and ▁bor on ▁comp ounds ▁such ▁as ▁bor ax ▁and ▁bor ic ▁acid ▁are ▁used ▁as ▁fert il izers ▁in ▁agricult ure , ▁although ▁it ' s ▁only ▁required ▁in ▁small ▁amounts , ▁with ▁excess ▁being ▁to xic . ▁Bor on ▁comp ounds ▁play ▁a ▁strength ening ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁cell ▁walls ▁of ▁all ▁plants . ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁cons ensus ▁on ▁whether ▁bor on ▁is ▁an ▁essential ▁nut ri ent ▁for ▁m amm als , ▁including ▁humans , ▁although ▁there ▁is ▁some ▁evidence ▁it ▁supports ▁b one ▁health . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁word ▁bor on ▁was ▁co ined ▁from ▁bor ax , ▁the ▁min eral ▁from ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁isolated , ▁by ▁anal ogy ▁with ▁carbon , ▁which ▁bor on ▁res emb les ▁chem ically . ▁ ▁Bor ax , ▁its ▁min eral ▁form ▁then ▁known ▁as ▁tin cal , ▁gla zes ▁were ▁used ▁in ▁China ▁from ▁AD ▁ 3 0 0 , ▁and ▁some ▁cru de