 Discovery Information |
| Who:
Andre Debierne
|
| When: 1899 |
| Where: France |
|
| Name Origin |
| Greek: aktinos (ray). |
|
| Sources |
| Extremely rare, found in all uranium ores. Usually obtained by treating radium with
neutrons
in a reactor. |
|
| Uses |
| Used as a source of
neutrons
and for thermoelectric power. |
|
| Notes |
| It is about 150 times as radioactive as radium. |
| Due to its intense radioactivity, Actinium glows in the dark with an eerie blue light. 227Ac is extremely
radioactive
, and in terms of its potential for
radiation
induced health effects, 227Ac is about as dangerous as plutonium. Ingesting even small amounts of 227Ac would present a serious health hazard. |
