Radioisotopes may sound very foreign to us, right? In fact, most people have never seen and also do not know the use of radioisotopes in various fields. Without realizing it, there are many benefits of radioisotopes that we don’t know about, there are various fields that are already feeling their benefits. If so, there is nothing wrong with trying to find out and study the benefits provided by radioisotopes for various fields in the world. Read it until it’s finished, so you can get complete information.
Definition of Radioisotopes
Radioactive elements are elements that spontaneously emit radiation. The atomic number of this radioactive element is usually above 83, for example Uranium which has an atomic number of 92. Radioactive elements have an unstable ratio of neutrons and protons, so to stabilize themselves, these elements emit radiation.
For radioisotopes, the definition is an isotope (when both atoms have the same number of protons) of a radioactive substance, made by the reaction of the nucleus with neutrons. Isotopes of an element, both stable and radioactive, have the same chemical properties. Can become another element, by giving off radiation. So, isotopes that emit radiation can turn elements into radioisotopes.
To produce radioisotopes, we can shoot stable isotopes with neutrons into a target. This firing can increase the number of neutrons in the target nucleus which will create an instability in the atomic nucleus and make it radioactive.
When radioisotope elements change from one element to another, it will not cause the type of element to be different. For example, the element O turns into the H element. Radioisotope elements are still the same, but they differ in atomic mass.
Benefits of Radioisotopes
The following are some of the radioisotope names and their uses in a wide variety of fields, from health to industry.
Types of Radioisotopes and Their Benefits
| No. | Element Name | Benefits / Uses |
| 1 | Iodine (I-131) | Helps to look for abnormalities in the thyroid / thyroid gland.
In the field of hydrology, it can be used to determine the velocity of river flow. |
| 2 | Iodine (I-123) | Helps to find out disorders of the kidneys |
| 3 | Carbon (C-14) | Look for abnormalities associated with diabetes and anemia. |
| 4 | Chromium (Cr-51) | Play a role in the spleen scanning process. |
| 5 | Selenium (Se-75) | Play a role in the scanning process of the pancreas. |
| 6 | Technetium (Tc-99) | Play a role in the process of scanning lung bones, and heart damage. |
| 7 | Ti-201 | Detects heart damage, is used in conjunction with the Tc-99. |
| 8 | Gallium (Ga-67) | Play a role in the lymph scanning process. |
| 9 | Xe-133 | Play a role in detecting lung health. |
| 10 | Fe-59 | Studying the formation of red blood cells. |
| 11 | Sodium (Na-24) | Detect narrowing of blood vessels / thrombosis, and detect circulatory disorders.
Detect underground drainage leaks and investigate river flow velocity |
| 12 | Silicon radioisotope | Radioisotope tracer in port or tunnel mud dredging process. |
| 13 | Phosphorus (P-32) | Can be used to estimate the amount of fertilizer a plant will need.
For the health sector, it can be used to detect eye, tumor and liver diseases. |
| 14 | Carbon (C-14) | Measuring the age of animal, plant and human fossils (by measuring beta rays). |
| 15 | Uranium (U-238) | Estimate the age of the rock. |
| 16 | Uranium (U-235) | Controlled chain reaction in the NPP. |
| 17 | Cobalt (Co-60) | Play a role in controlling the growth of several types of cancer through the resulting gamma rays. |
| 18 | Isotope 8 O 15 | Analyze the photosynthetic process in plants. |
| 19 | Isotope O-18 | Atom tracer / tracer from which water molecules are formed. |
| 20 | K-40 | K-40 is used in conjunction with stable and Ar-40 to measure the age of rocks, by comparing the concentrations of K-40 and Ar-40 in the rock. |
So, that’s the information along with the benefits of radioisotopes for various fields.