Gadolinium is a rare earth metal used in medicine as a contrast agent and in various industrial applications. It is highly reactive and vulnerable to corrosion, and can be toxic if inhaled or ingested. Its discovery is credited to Jean de Marignac in 1880.
Gadolinium is a metallic chemical element classified among the rare earth metals. Most of the world’s supply is found in various minerals, which are processed to extract usable elements; this element is extremely rare in pure form due to its reactivity and vulnerability to corrosion. It has a number of industrial uses which ensure a fairly constant demand. Consumers rarely interact directly with gadolinium, although they may own or use products that supplement this element.
In its pure form, gadolinium is a shiny white metal with a crystalline structure. It is extremely malleable and reacts even weakly with water. When exposed to moist air, it forms a distinctive flaky crust that peels off to expose the underlying metal to the elements. Pure metal can be stored in a sealed container or in mineral oil so that this crust does not form and ruin it. In the periodic table of elements it is identified with the atomic number 64 and the symbol Gd.
In medicine, gadolinium is used as a contrast agent for some medical imaging and also appears in some imaging equipment, such as MRI machines. The element is also used in a wide range of metal alloys and even appears in some nuclear reactors. It is also used in the production of synthetic gemstones and has some unusual magnetic properties which are sometimes exploited in scientific experiments. At room temperature, gadolinium is paramagnetic, while on cooling it becomes ferromagnetic.
The discovery of gadolinium is credited to Jean de Marignac, who observed its characteristic spectroscopic signature in 1880. It took several years for a French chemist to successfully isolate an oxide of the element, named after Johan Gadolin, a prominent scientist Finnish. Gadolinite is also named after Gadolin, although this mineral contains little or no gadolinium, which can be confusing.
Gadolinium must be handled with care, as it can be toxic, like other rare earth elements. Its precise toxicity is unknown, but it’s safe to say that people should probably avoid inhaling fumes and particles from the metal as it’s being worked on, and it shouldn’t be ingested either. Its medical use has been linked to complications in people with kidney disease, so medical professionals tend to use other contrast agents in imaging studies of people with kidney problems.
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