COMMON ISOTOPES AND THEIR USES

ELEMENT ISOTOPES USES

SYMBOL/NAME
1. HYDROGEN 1H Protium hydrogenation of materials, this kind of
as nitrogen (to create ammonia),
carbon monoxide (to give methanol
and a range of other practical
merchandise), coal (to yield synthetic
petrol), and unsaturated or liquid fats
into stable fats (for use as food or
making soaps)
2H Deuterium used in heavy water moderated fission
reactors, usually as liquid D2O, to slow
neutrons without the high neutron
absorption of ordinary hydrogen
3H Tritium used in research, fusion reactors and
neutron generators.
2. COBALT 56Co
57Co Used as tracer to diagnose pernicious
anemia
60Co Food Irradiation; radiotherapy; Food
preservation ; sterilization of medical
supplies and medical waste; Industrial
radiography (e.g., weld integrity
radiographs); Density measurements
(e.g., concrete density measurements)
3. CARBON 11C Tagged onto glucose to monitor organs
during PET scan
14C Radio Carbon Dating; study the
passage of carbon in plants during
photosynthesis
4. CESIUM 137Ce Cancer Treatment;
measure correct patient dosages;
ensure the right fill level for packages of
food, drugs, and other products;
measure correct dosages of
radioactive pharmaceuticals
5. KRYPTON 85Kr Used to measure the levels of pollution
and dust in the atmosphere and to
measure the thickness of plastic,
rubber, paper and other materials.
6. CHLORINE 36Cl Event marker to date waters less than
50 years before the present
7. AMERICIUM 241AM Smoke detectors to measure levels of
toxic lead in dried paint samples, to
ensure uniform thickness in rolling
processes like steel and paper
production and to help determine
where oil wells should be drilled
8. PHOSPHORUS 31P Genetics and Biology Study
 32P Biology study; Beta rays treat skin
cancer; phosphate fertilizers is able to
detect the metabolism of phosphorus
by plants
9. IODINE 123I Diagnose thyroid disorder and other
metabolic disorders
125I Major diagnostic tool to diagnose
thyroid disorder; Used in biomedical
research
131I Goiter treatment; used to investigate
the thyroid glands; locate brain tumors;
monitor cardiac
10. CADMIUM 109Cd Used to analyze metal alloys for
checking stock, scrap sorting
11. CALCIUM 47Ca Important aid to biomedical
researchers studying the cellular
functions and bone formation in
mammals.
12. CALIFORNIUM 252Cf Used to inspect airline luggage for
hidden explosives; to gauge the
moisture content of soil in the road
construction and building industries
13. CHROMIUM 51Cr Used in research in red blood cell
survival studies
14. SODIUM 24Na Study blood circulation; detect the
leakage of underground pipes;
measure the wear out rate of engine in
a vehicle
15. PLUTONIUM 238Pu nuclear batteries which are used to
produce small electric shocks
16. IRIDIUM 192Ir Test integrity of boilers and aircraft parts
17. HELIUM 4He Biomarkers for diagnosis of ovarian
disorder
18. OXYGEN 16O production of radioactive N-13 which is
used for PET imaging and myocardial
perfusion
17O a tracer in the study of cerebral oxygen
utilization
19. NEON 20Ne Production of F-18()
21Ne used in Masers to study quantum
physics
22Ne Production of the medical radioisotope
Na-22()
20. GOLD 92Au nuclear medicine
198Au Cancer treatment; In the form of a
gold colloid, has a diagnostic use for
liver imaging and a therapeutic use in
treatment of widespread abdominal
carcinomatosis with ascites