Chemical Formula
Po
Background
Polonium was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898 while examining the radioactivity in pitchblende. After noticing that the unrefined pitchblende is more radioactive than the uranium separated from it, they refined several tons of pitchblende and obtained small amounts of polonium which they believed to have properties similar to that of bismuth. The element was named polonium after Poland, the country of origin of Marie Curie.
Basic Information
| Name |
Polonium |
| Symbol |
Po |
| Atomic number |
84 |
| Atomic weight |
209 amu |
| Standard state |
Solid at 298 K |
| CAS Registry ID |
8/6/7440 |
| Group in periodic table |
16 |
| Group name |
Chalcogen |
| Period in periodic table |
6 |
| Block in periodic table |
p-block |
| Color |
Silvery |
| Classification |
Metallic |
| Melting point |
527 K (254°C or 489°F) |
| Boiling point |
1235 K (962°C or 1764°F) |
| Density |
9.32 g/cm3 |
| Phase at room temperature |
Solid |
Occurrence
Polonium is a rare natural element and can be obtained by the breakdown of radioactive elements. Traces of polonium are present in pitchblende.
Polonium - Periodic Table of Videos
Isotopes
Polonium has 29 radioactive isotopes with mass numbers ranging from 190Po to 218Po. However, the longest-lived isotope is 209Po, with a half-life of 102 years.
Production
Polonium can be produced through a nuclear reaction of bismuth-209 atoms bombarded with neutrons.
209Bi + 1n → 210Po + e-
Metallic polonium can be obtained by fractional distillation of bismuth or electro deposition of bismuth onto a silver surface.
Health Aspects
Polonium-210 is a minor component of cigarette smoke. This radioactive element is highly soluble in body fluids and can be found in the urine and blood of smokers. The presence of polonium in the body may cause the following health effects:
- Genetic damage
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Liver cirrhosis
- Leukemia
- Stomach ulcer
- Liver and bladder cancer
Key Properties
The key properties of polonium are listed below:
- It is a rare, radioactive low-melting metalloid
- It partly reacts with alkalis and readily reacts with dilute acids
- It has chemical properties similar to that of tellurium and selenium.
Applications
Some of the applications of polonium include the following:
- It is used in the elimination of static electricity produced during rolling of sheet metal, paper and wire
- It is used as an atomic heat source owing to its short half-life
- It can be used as an alpha-emitter for scientific research
- It is used in anti-static brushes for cleaning dust on photographic films.
References
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