Strontium-90

Strontium-90 is a radioactive fission product with a half-life of about 29 years. Its chemical similarity to calcium allows it to accumulate in bones and teeth.

Beta decay: A radioactive decay process in which a neutron converts to a proton or a proton to a neutron, emitting a beta particle. Strontium-90 decays by emitting an electron and becoming yttrium-90.
Nuclear fission: The splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into lighter nuclei, usually releasing neutrons and energy. Strontium-90 is produced among the fission fragments of heavy nuclei.
Radioisotope thermoelectric generator: A device that converts heat from radioactive decay into electrical power using thermoelectric materials. Strontium-90 has been used as a heat source in specialized generators.
Nuclear fallout: Radioactive particles and debris that descend after a nuclear explosion or other atmospheric release. Fallout transported strontium-90 from tests and accidents into soil and water.
Yttrium-90: A radioactive isotope of yttrium with a half-life of about 64 hours that emits energetic beta particles. This daughter product follows strontium-90 and contributes much of the decay chain’s beta radiation.
Fission product: An isotope formed when a heavy nucleus splits during nuclear fission. Strontium-90 is a prominent fission product with a comparatively long-lived environmental presence.
Radiation therapy: The treatment of disease, especially cancer, using ionizing radiation to damage targeted cells. Strontium-90 beta sources have been used for localized treatments, including some eye therapies.
Food chain: A sequence of organisms through which matter and energy pass as one organism consumes another. Contaminated plants and animal products can carry strontium-90 toward human diets.
Radioactive decay: The spontaneous transformation of an unstable atomic nucleus, often accompanied by emitted particles or radiation. It is the general process governing strontium-90’s transformation and activity over time.
Nuclear weapons testing: The detonation of nuclear weapons to assess their performance, effects, or design. Atmospheric tests released strontium-90 into fallout that spread across the globe.

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