Strontium is a common metallic element found in mineral compounds on Earth. It is famous for the radioactive isotope strontium 90, a byproduct of nuclear fission. Pure forms have numerous uses, including metal alloys and medical imaging. It is similar to calcium and can increase bone density. It was discovered in 1787 and isolated in 1808. It is used in pyrotechnics, medical procedures, optics, and ceramic glazes. It is a fire hazard and should be handled with care. Radioactive isotopes are dangerous and access is controlled.
Strontium is a metallic chemical element that is very common in mineral compounds throughout the Earth. It is perhaps most famous in the form of strontium 90, a radioactive isotope that is a byproduct of nuclear fission. This isotope was a major pollutant in the Chernobyl nuclear accident in Ukraine in 1986. Pure forms of the element, along with its isotopes, have numerous uses, from metal alloys to medical imaging.
The element is classified in the alkaline earth metals, along with elements such as barium and magnesium. Like other metals of this group, strontium is a very soft and easily worked metal. In pure form, it is silvery and easily oxidized, as it is extremely reactive with air. Chemically, the metal is very similar to calcium, making it useful in treating conditions such as osteoporosis, as it can be absorbed like calcium to increase bone density. It is identified with the symbol Sr and has atomic number 38.
Traces of strontium were first discovered in the lead mines of a Scottish village called Strontian in 1787. Adair Crawford recognized that the element was unique in 1790, but it took several years before it was successfully isolated. Humphrey Davy was able to identify and isolate it in 1808, using the electrolysis process. Because strontium is so reactive, the element is never found in a pure form in nature; compounds containing it are mined in various locations around the world.
Several metal alloys are made with strontium, and the metal is also used in pyrotechnics due to its extreme explosiveness. Its isotopes are used in medical procedures such as bone scans and in the treatment of some cancers. Additionally, this metal can be found in optics and some ceramic glazes, and isotopes are used by archaeologists to date historically important sites and to study the history of climate change.
Because strontium spontaneously ignites when exposed to air, it is a fire hazard in its pure form. It should be stored in an inert environment such as mineral oil and should be handled with care. Otherwise, the item does not appear to impact human health. However, radioactive isotopes, such as those used in medical practice, are dangerous and access to them is usually carefully controlled. People who regularly interact with radioactive forms should be trained to take proper precautions and may be routinely tested for dangerous exposure levels.
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