strontium-90

Strontium-90 is a radioactive isotope of strontium produced as a fission byproduct in nuclear reactors and during nuclear weapons detonations. It is a soft, silvery metal that decays by emitting beta radiation, with a half-life of approximately 29 years. Medically, controlled amounts of strontium-90 are used for superficial radiotherapy to treat certain cancers (such as bone tumors and some eye or skin cancers) and in vascular brachytherapy to prevent coronary restenosis. Its mechanism involves the emission of beta particles that deliver localized cytotoxic radiation to targeted tissues. Strontium-90 acts chemically similar to calcium, leading it to accumulate in bones and teeth if ingested or inhaled, which can cause bone cancer, leukemia, or other malignancies due to its radioactivity[1][2][3][5].

Other names

strontium 90strontium90strontium-9090SrSr-90Sr90Sr 90