View source for Bismuth-209

{{Short description|Isotope of bismuth}}
{{Infobox isotope
 | alternate_names  = 
 | mass_number      = 209
 | symbol           = Bi
 | num_neutrons     = 126
 | num_protons      = 83
 | abundance        = 100%
 | mass             = 208.9803986
 | spin             = 9/2−
 | halflife = {{val|2.01|e=19|u=years}}{{NUBASE2016|ref}}
 | decay_mode1 = [[Alpha decay|Alpha emission]]
 | decay_energy1 = 3.1373
 | decay_product = thallium-205
 | decay_symbol = Tl
 | decay_mass = 205
 | excess_energy    = {{val|−18258.461|2.4}}<!-- WD AME2016: 1,640,229.283±1.463 kiloelectronvolt -->
 | binding_energy   = {{val|7847.987|1.7}}
|parent = lead-209
|parent_symbol=Pb
|parent_mass  =209
|parent_decay =b
|parent2 = polonium-209
|parent2_symbol=Po
|parent2_mass  =209
|parent2_decay =b+
|parent3 = astatine-213
|parent3_symbol=At
|parent3_mass  =213
|parent3_decay =a
|image=Bismuth-209.svg
}}
'''Bismuth-209''' ({{sup|209}}Bi) is an [[isotope]] of [[bismuth]], with the longest known [[half-life]] of any [[radioisotope]] that undergoes α-decay ([[alpha decay]]). It has 83 protons and a [[magic number (physics)|magic number]]<ref name=magicnuclei /> of 126 neutrons,<ref name=magicnuclei>{{cite journal |url= https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232899048 |last1=Blank |first1=B. |last2=Regan |first2=P.H. |title=Magic and doubly-magic nuclei |journal=Nuclear Physics News |date=2000 |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=20–27 |doi=10.1080/10506890109411553|s2cid=121966707 }}</ref> and an atomic mass of {{val|208.9803987|ul=Da}}. [[Primordial nuclide|Primordial]] bismuth consists entirely of this isotope.

== Decay properties ==
Bismuth-209 was long thought to have the heaviest stable nucleus of any element, but in 2003, a research team at the [[Institut d'astrophysique spatiale|Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale]] in [[Orsay, France]], discovered that {{sup|209}}Bi undergoes [[alpha decay]] with a half-life of 20.1 [[exa]]years ({{val|2.01|e=19}}, or 20.1 quintillion years),<ref name=Bi209alpha1 /><ref name=Bi209alpha2 /> over 10{{sup|9}} times longer than the estimated [[age of the universe]].<ref name=Kean209Bi>{{cite book|last=Kean|first=Sam|title=The Disappearing Spoon (and other true tales of madness, love, and the history of the world from the Periodic Table of Elements)|publisher=Back Bay Books |location=New York/Boston|year=2011|pages=158–160|isbn=978-0-316-051637}}</ref> The heaviest nucleus considered to be stable is now [[lead-208]] and the heaviest stable [[monoisotopic element]] is [[gold]] ([[gold-197]]).

Theory had previously predicted a half-life of 4.6{{e|19}} years. It had been suspected to be radioactive for a long time.<ref>{{cite journal |doi = 10.1007/BF02824346 |title = Alpha-activity of {{SimpleNuclide|Bismuth|209}} |date = 1972 |last1 = Carvalho |first1 = H. G. |last2 = Penna |first2 = M. |journal = Lettere al Nuovo Cimento |volume = 3 |issue = 18|page = 720|s2cid = 120952231 }}</ref> The decay produces a 3.14&nbsp;MeV [[alpha particle]] plus [[thallium-205]].<ref name=Bi209alpha1>{{cite news|url = http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2003/apr/23/bismuth-breaks-half-life-record-for-alpha-decay|title = Bismuth breaks half-life record for alpha decay|date = 2003-04-23|publisher = Physicsweb|first = Belle|last = Dumé}}</ref><ref name=Bi209alpha2>{{cite journal | last = Marcillac | first = Pierre de |author2=Noël Coron |author3=Gérard Dambier |author4=Jacques Leblanc |author5=Jean-Pierre Moalic |date=April 2003 | title = Experimental detection of α-particles from the radioactive decay of natural bismuth | journal = Nature | volume = 422 | pages = 876–878 | doi = 10.1038/nature01541 | pmid = 12712201 | issue = 6934 | bibcode=2003Natur.422..876D| s2cid = 4415582 }}</ref>
[[Image:Decay Chain(4n+1, Neptunium Series).svg|200px|thumb|right|Bismuth-209 occurs in the neptunium series decay chain.]]

Bismuth-209 forms [[Isotopes of thallium|{{sup|205}}Tl]]:
: {{nuclide|bismuth|209}} → {{nuclide|thallium|205}} + {{nuclide|helium|4}}<ref>{{cite web | url=http://periodictable.com/Isotopes/095.241/index.full.html | title=Isotope data for americium-241 in the Periodic Table}}</ref>

If perturbed, it would join in lead-bismuth neutron capture cycle from lead-206/207/208 to bismuth-209, despite low capture cross sections. Even thallium-205, the decay product of bismuth-209, reverts to lead when [[Beta_decay#Bound-state_β−_decay|fully ionized]].<ref name="Takahashi et al">{{cite journal|title=Bound-state beta decay of highly ionized atoms|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13335547|last1=Takahashi|first1=K|last2=Boyd|first2=R. N.|last3=Mathews|first3=G. J.|last4=Yokoi|first4=K.|date=October 1987|access-date=2016-11-20|issn=0556-2813|oclc=1639677|volume=36|issue=4|pages=1522–1528|journal=Physical Review C|doi=10.1103/PhysRevC.36.1522|pmid=9954244|bibcode=1987PhRvC..36.1522T}}</ref>

Due to its extremely long half-life, {{sup|209}}Bi can be treated as non-radioactive for nearly all applications. It is much less radioactive than human flesh, so it poses no real radiation hazard. Though {{sup|209}}Bi holds the half-life record for alpha decay, it does not have the longest known half-life of any nuclide; this distinction belongs to [[tellurium]]-128 ([[tellurium-128|{{sup|128}}Te]]) with a  half-life estimated at {{val|7.7|e=24}} years by double β-decay ([[double beta decay]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://presolar.wustl.edu/work/noblegas.html |title=Noble Gas Research |access-date=2013-01-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928143717/http://presolar.wustl.edu/work/noblegas.html |archive-date=2011-09-28 }} Tellurium-128 information and half-life. Accessed July 14, 2009.</ref><ref name="NUBASE">{{Cite journal| last1 = Audi| first1 = G.|title = The NUBASE Evaluation of Nuclear and Decay Properties| journal = Nuclear Physics A| volume = 729| issue = 1| pages = 3–128|publisher = Atomic Mass Data Center| date = 2003| doi = 10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001| bibcode=2003NuPhA.729....3A| last2 = Bersillon| first2 = O.| last3 = Blachot| first3 = J.| last4 = Wapstra| first4 = A. H.| url = http://hal.in2p3.fr/in2p3-00014184}}</ref><ref name="Tellurium 128">{{Cite web|title = WWW Table of Radioactive Isotopes: Tellurium|publisher = Nuclear Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory|date = 2008|url = http://ie.lbl.gov/toi/nuclide.asp?iZA=520128|access-date = 2010-01-16|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100205101344/http://ie.lbl.gov/toi/nuclide.asp?iZA=520128|archive-date = 2010-02-05|url-status = dead}}</ref>

The half-life of {{sup|209}}Bi was confirmed in 2012 by an Italian team in [[Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso|Gran Sasso]] who reported {{val|2.01|0.08|e=19}} years. They also reported an even longer half-life for alpha decay of {{sup|209}}Bi to the first excited state of {{sup|205}}Tl (at 204&nbsp;keV), was estimated at 1.66{{e|21}} years.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=J.W. Beeman|display-authors=et al|date=2012|title=First Measurement of the Partial Widths of {{sup|209}}Bi Decay to the Ground and to the First Excited States|journal=Physical Review Letters |volume=108 |issue=6 |pages=062501|doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.062501|pmid=22401058|arxiv=1110.3138|bibcode=2012PhRvL.108f2501B |s2cid=118686992 }}</ref> Even though this value is shorter than the half-life of {{sup|128}}Te, both alpha decays of {{sup|209}}Bi hold the record of the thinnest natural line widths of any measurable physical excitation, estimated respectively at Δ''Ε'' ≈ {{val|5.5|e=-43|u=eV}} and Δ''Ε'' ≈ {{val|1.3|e=-44|u=eV}} in application of the [[uncertainty principle]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/quantum/parlif.html|title=Particle lifetimes from the uncertainty principle}}</ref> (double beta decay would produce energy lines only in [[neutrinoless double beta decay|neutrinoless transitions]], which has not been observed yet).

== Applications ==

Because all primordial bismuth is bismuth-209, bismuth-209 is used for all normal applications of bismuth, such as being used as a replacement for [[lead]],<ref>{{cite journal|author=Hopper KD|author2=King SH|author3=Lobell ME|author4=TenHave TR|author5=Weaver JS|title= The breast: inplane x-ray protection during diagnostic thoracic CT—shielding with bismuth radioprotective garments|pmid=9393547|date=1997|volume=205|issue=3|pages=853–8|journal=Radiology|doi=10.1148/radiology.205.3.9393547}}</ref><ref name="lohse">{{cite web|first1 = Joachim |last1 = Lohse|first2 = Stéphanie |last2 = Zangl|first3=Rita|last3=Groß|first4=Carl-Otto|last4=Gensch|first5=Otmar|last5=Deubzer|url = http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/description_layout.pdf| access-date =11 September 2009|title = Adaptation to Scientific and Technical Progress of Annex II Directive 2000/53/EC|publisher=European Commission|date=September 2007}}</ref> in cosmetics,<ref>{{cite journal|doi = 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2005.07.003|title = Effect pigments—past, present and future|date = 2005|last1 = Maile|first1 = Frank J.|last2 = Pfaff|first2 = Gerhard|last3 = Reynders|first3 = Peter|journal = Progress in Organic Coatings|volume = 54|issue = 3|page = 150}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Q1Pc0aY-vg4C&pg=PA36| page = 36|title = Special effect pigments: Technical basics and applications|isbn = 978-3-86630-905-0|last1 = Pfaff|first1 = Gerhard|date = 2008|publisher=Vincentz Network GmbH}}</ref> in paints,<ref name=Ullmann>B. Gunter "Inorganic Colored Pigments” in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2012.</ref> and in several medicines such as [[Pepto-Bismol]].<ref name=Kean209Bi /><ref name="Madisch-2008">{{cite journal |vauthors=Madisch A, Morgner A, Stolte M, Miehlke S |date=December 2008 |title=Investigational treatment options in microscopic colitis |journal=Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs |pmid=19012499 |doi=10.1517/13543780802514500 |volume=17 |issue=12 |pages=1829–37|s2cid=72294495 }}</ref><ref>''[[Merck Index]]'', 11th Edition, '''1299'''</ref> Alloys containing bismuth-209 such as [[bismuth bronze]] have been used for thousands of years.<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=1692247 |title=Bismuth Bronze from Machu Picchu, Peru |publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science |last1=Gordon |first1=Robert B. |last2=Rutledge |first2=John W. |journal=Science |year=1984 |volume=223 |issue=4636 |pages=585–586 |doi=10.1126/science.223.4636.585 |pmid=17749940 |bibcode=1984Sci...223..585G |s2cid=206572055 }}</ref>

=== Synthesis of other elements ===

[[Polonium-210|{{sup|210}}Po]] can be manufactured by bombarding {{sup|209}}Bi with [[neutron]]s in a nuclear reactor.<ref name=Po210why /> Only around 100&nbsp;grams of {{sup|210}}Po are produced each year.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/killing-arafat/swiss-study-polonium-found-arafats-bones-201311522578803512.html |title = Swiss study: Polonium found in Arafat's bones | publisher = Al Jazeera| access-date = 2013-11-07}}</ref><ref name=Po210why>{{cite magazine |last=Roessler |first=G. |title=Why {{sup|210}}Po? |url=https://hps.org/documents/polonium_210_story.pdf |magazine=Health Physics News |publisher=[[Health Physics Society]] |date=2007 |volume=35 |issue=2 |access-date=2019-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403100938/http://hps.org/documents/polonium_210_story.pdf |archive-date=2014-04-03 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Isotopes of polonium|{{sup|209}}Po and {{sup|208}}Po]] can be made through the proton bombardment of {{sup|209}}Bi in a [[cyclotron]].<ref name="po484">{{Cite book| last1=Carvalho|first1=F.|last2=Fernandes|first2=S.|last3=Fesenko|first3=S. |last4=Holm|first4=E.|last5=Howard|first5=B.|last6=Martin|first6=P.|last7=Phaneuf|first7=P. |last8=Porcelli|first8=D.|last9=Pröhl|first9=G.|last10=Twining|first10=J.|title=The Environmental Behaviour of Polonium|series=Technical reports series|volume=484|publisher=International Atomic Energy Agency|location=Vienna|date=2017|page=22|issn=0074-1914|isbn=978-92-0-112116-5}}</ref> [[Astatine]] can also be produced by bombarding {{sup|209}}Bi with alpha particles.<ref name="BartonAt">{{cite journal | title = Radioactivity of Astatine Isotopes | first1 = G. W. | last1 = Barton| year = 1951 | journal = Physical Review | volume = 82 | issue = 1 | pages = 13–19 | doi = 10.1103/PhysRev.82.13 | last2 = Ghiorso | first2 = A.| author-link2=Albert Ghiorso | last3 = Perlman | first3 = I.|bibcode = 1951PhRv...82...13B | hdl = 2027/mdp.39015086480574 | url = https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7q84d634 }} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name="LarsenAt">{{cite journal|last1=Larsen|first1=R. H.|last2=Wieland|first2=B. W.|last3=Zalutsky|first3=M. R. J.|year=1996|title=Evaluation of an Internal Cyclotron Target for the Production of {{sup|211}}At via the {{sup|209}}Bi (α,2n){{sup|211}}At reaction|journal=Applied Radiation and Isotopes|volume=47|issue=2|pages=135–143|doi=10.1016/0969-8043(95)00285-5|pmid=8852627}}</ref><ref name="Ru1968At">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1070/RC1968v037n02ABEH001603 | title = Astatine | year = 1968 | last1= Nefedov | first1 = V. D. | journal = Russian Chemical Reviews | volume = 37 | pages = 87–98 | last2 = Norseev | first2 = Yu. V. | last3 = Toropova | first3 = M. A. | last4 = Khalkin | first4 = Vladimir A. | issue = 2|bibcode = 1968RuCRv..37...87N | s2cid = 250775410 }} {{subscription required}}</ref> Traces of {{sup|209}}Bi have also been used [[Nuclear transmutation|to create]] [[gold]] in nuclear reactors.<ref>
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V. |last20=Yoneda |first20=A. |last21=Yoshida |first21=A. |last22=Zhao |first22=Y.-L. |last23=Zheng |first23=T. |title=Status of heavy element research using GARIS at RIKEN |year=2004 |journal=Nuclear Physics A |volume=734 |pages=101–108 |doi=10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2004.01.019|bibcode=2004NuPhA.734..101M }}</ref> and [[nihonium]].<ref name="Nh278 04Mo01">{{cite journal|title=Experiment on the Synthesis of Element 113 in the Reaction {{sup|209}}Bi({{sup|70}}Zn, n){{sup|278}}113|doi=10.1143/JPSJ.73.2593|year=2004|last1=Morita |first1=Kosuke |journal=Journal of the Physical Society of Japan |volume=73 |pages=2593–2596 |last2=Morimoto |first2=Kouji |last3=Kaji |first3=Daiya |last4=Akiyama |first4=Takahiro |last5=Goto |first5=Sin-Ichi |last6=Haba |first6=Hiromitsu |last7=Ideguchi |first7=Eiji |last8=Kanungo |first8=Rituparna |last9=Katori |first9=Kenji |last10=Koura |first10=Hiroyuki |last11=Kudo |first11=Hisaaki |last12=Ohnishi |first12=Tetsuya |last13=Ozawa |first13=Akira |last14=Suda |first14=Toshimi |last15=Sueki |first15=Keisuke |last16=Xu |first16=Hushan |last17=Yamaguchi |first17=Takayuki |last18=Yoneda |first18=Akira |last19=Yoshida |first19=Atsushi |last20=Zhao |first20=Yuliang |display-authors=8 |issue=10 |bibcode = 2004JPSJ...73.2593M |doi-access= }}</ref><ref name="JWP Nh278">{{cite journal |last1=Barber |first1=Robert C. |last2=Karol |first2=Paul J |last3=Nakahara |first3=Hiromichi |last4=Vardaci |first4=Emanuele |last5=Vogt |first5=Erich W. |title=Discovery of the elements with atomic numbers greater than or equal to 113 (IUPAC Technical Report)|doi=10.1351/PAC-REP-10-05-01 |journal=Pure and Applied Chemistry |year=2011 |volume=83|issue=7 |page=1485|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="six-alpha Nh278">{{cite journal|journal=Journal of the Physical Society of Japan|volume=81|pages=103201 |date=2012|title=New Results in the Production and Decay of an Isotope, {{sup|278}}113, of the 113th Element|author=K. 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|issue=10|display-authors=10|arxiv = 1209.6431 |bibcode = 2012JPSJ...81j3201M |s2cid=119217928 }}</ref>

==Formation==
===Primordial===
[[File:S-R-processes-atomic-mass-201-to-210.svg|thumb|right|200px|Bismuth-209 is created in the final part of the ''s''-process.{{efn|Red horizontal lines with a circle in their right ends represent [[neutron capture]]s; blue arrows pointing up-left represent [[beta decay]]s; green arrows pointing down-left represent [[alpha decay]]s; cyan/light-green arrows pointing down-right represent [[electron capture]]s.}}]]
In the red giant [[star]]s of the [[asymptotic giant branch]], the [[s-process]] (slow process) is ongoing to produce bismuth-209 and polonium-210 by neutron capture as the heaviest elements to be formed,<ref name="Synthesis of the Elements in Stars" /> and the latter quickly decays.<ref name="Synthesis of the Elements in Stars" /> All elements heavier than it are formed in the [[r-process]], or rapid process, which occurs during the first fifteen minutes of [[supernova]]s.<ref>Chaisson, Eric, and Steve McMillan. Astronomy Today. 6th ed. San Francisco: Pearson Education, 2008.</ref><ref name="Synthesis of the Elements in Stars">
{{cite journal
 |last1=Burbidge |first1=E. M.
 |last2=Burbidge |first2=G. R.
 |last3=Fowler |first3=W. A.
 |last4=Hoyle |first4=F.
 |date=1957
 |title=Synthesis of the Elements in Stars
 |journal=[[Reviews of Modern Physics]]
 |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=547–650
 |bibcode=1957RvMP...29..547B
 |doi=10.1103/RevModPhys.29.547 |doi-access=free
}}</ref> Bismuth-209 is also created during the r-process.<ref name="Synthesis of the Elements in Stars" />

=== Radiogenic ===
Some {{sup|209}}Bi was created radiogenically from the [[neptunium series|neptunium]] [[decay chain]].<ref name=4n1decay>{{cite journal |last1=Peppard |first1=D. F. |last2=Mason |first2=G. W. |last3=Gray |first3=P. R. |last4=Mech |first4=J. F. |title=Occurrence of the (4n + 1) series in nature |journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society |date=1952 |volume=74 |issue=23 |pages=6081–6084 |doi=10.1021/ja01143a074 |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc172698/m2/1/high_res_d/metadc172698.pdf }}</ref> [[Neptunium-237]] is an [[extinct radionuclide]], but it can be found in traces in [[uranium]] ores because of [[neutron capture]] reactions.<ref name=4n1decay /><ref name="CRCNp">{{cite book| author = C. R. Hammond| title = The Elements, in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics| edition = 81st| publisher = CRC press| isbn = 978-0-8493-0485-9| date = 2004| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/crchandbookofche81lide}}</ref> [[Americium-241]], which is used in smoke detectors,<ref>{{cite journal | url = http://www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080303223058/http://www.uic.com.au/nip35.htm 
 | archive-date = 2008-03-03 | url-status = usurped | title = Smoke Detectors and Americium | journal = Nuclear Issues Briefing Paper | publisher = [[Uranium Information Centre]] | volume = 35 | date = May 2002 | language = en-au | access-date = 2022-09-02 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> decays to neptunium-237.

== See also ==
* [[Isotopes of bismuth]]
* [[Primordial radionuclide]]
* [[List of elements by stability of isotopes]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
{{Isotope sequence
|element=bismuth
|lighter=bismuth-208
|heavier=bismuth-210
|before=[[astatine-213]] '''([[alpha decay|α]])<br>'''[[polonium-209]] '''([[positron emission|β{{sup|+}}]])<br>'''[[lead-209]] '''([[Beta decay#β− decay|β{{sup|−}}]])'''
|after=[[thallium-205]] '''(α)'''}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bismuth]]
[[Category:Isotopes of bismuth]]