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Is gadolinium radioactive?

In: Periodic Table, Elements and Compounds, Atoms and Atomic Structure [Edit categories]

Answer:

Answer

Gadolinium is "anti-radioactive." Rather than emitting particles like a good radioactive element should, it absorbs them so well they line nuclear reactors with it.
Here's a cool application of gadolinium: For some reason, tumors LOVE gadolinium. If you give someone an IV injection of gadolinium solution, the tumor will grab all it can. Then you aim a neutron source at the area of the tumor, and the gadolinium pulls the neutrons into the tumor, which destroys it.

Gadolinium is very paramagnetic--in the presence of a magnetic field, it becomes magnetic itself. Couple that with abnormal tissue's affinity for the element, and you get the best MRI contrast medium there is.

Answer

For most practical purposes, gadolinium can be regarded as not radioactive. 77.94% of gadolinium is of stable isotopes. 22.06% is of two radioactive isotopes, but the shorter half life is still very long at 108,000,000,000,000 years. There are radioactive synthetic isotopes, as there are with all other elements.

First answer by Jmowreader. Last edit by GeoHarvey. Contributor trust: 261 [recommend contributor ]. Question popularity: 19 [recommend question].

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