What is Einsteinium used for?

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What is Einsteinium used for?

Einsteinium refers to a synthetic element discovered back in 1952 from the explosion of a hydrogen bomb.  One of its isotopes is sourced from californium-253 through the process involving nuclear reactors.  Under this artificial or synthetic process, einsteinium may be produced at a rate of only one milligram for one whole year.  In terms of texture, this element is soft.  It also has a silvery color to it and contains similar properties to actinides.  Along with other so-called transuranic elements, einsteinium is considered highly-radioactive.  Because of this property and its rarity, einsteinium is typically used for experimental purposes only.  Much of it is only artificially or synthetically produced to help with some research and/or element studies.

Since einsteinium is synthetic, no amount of it can be found in people’s natural environment.  The only chance that it can be produced is through bombardment of other particles like plutonium in nuclear reactors.  This particular process may be successful in producing einsteinium but only a very small amount of it is actually created by nuclear reactors.  Typically, only 1 to 2 milligrams can be produced on a yearly basis in any facility around the world.  With its scarcity, not much of einsteinium is available and when they are available, they are only used for research purposes only.

With its very high radioactivity, the element Einsteinium is also considered very toxic.  Ingestion of substances that contain this synthetic element is highly dangerous and could pose a very serious health risk. In various laboratory tests involving animals, einsteinium is said to penetrate various organs including the bones, lungs, and testicles.  Through the bloodstream route, this element can stay in the animal’s body for a period of 20 to 50 years and during this time it may cause some serious medical complications.  The bones and the lungs are the two most affected body parts in terms of Einsteinium retention based on the animal studies.

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One Response

  1. Landon

    November 28, 2018 1:44 pm

    What could einsteinium be used for other than research? Could it be used as a weapon in war, like a gun shoots einsteinium? And if you touched einsteinium would it kill you instantly since it is so radioactive,if not how long would it take?

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