Strontium is a metallic chemical element found in great abundance in mineral compounds all over the Earth. It is perhaps most famous in the form of strontium 90, a radioactive isotope which is a byproduct of nuclear fission. Strontium 90 was one of the major pollutants from the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Ukraine in 1986. Pure forms of the element, along with its isotopes, have a number of uses, from metal alloys to medical imaging.
The element is classified in the alkaline earth metals, along with elements such as barium and magnesium. Like other metals in this group, strontium is a very soft, easily worked metal. In pure form, it is silvery and easily oxidized, since it is extremely reactive with air. Chemically, strontium is very similar to calcium, which makes it useful in treatment of conditions like osteoporosis, since it can be absorbed like calcium to bulk up bone density. The element is identified with the symbol Sr, and it has an atomic number of 38.
Traces of strontium were first discovered in the lead mines of a Scottish village called Strontian in 1787. Adair Crawford recognized that strontium was unique in 1790, but it took several more years for the element to be successfully isolated. Humphrey Davy managed to identify and isolate strontium in 1808, using the process of electrolysis. Because strontium is so reactive, the element is never found in a pure form in nature; compounds which contain strontium are mined in several locations around the world.
Several metal alloys are made with strontium, and the metal is also employed in pyrotechnics, due to its extreme explosiveness. Isotopes of strontium are used in medical procedures such as bone scans, and in the treatment of some cancers. In addition, strontium can be found in optics and some pottery glazes, and isotopes are used by archaeologists to date historically important sites and to study the history of climate change.
Because strontium will spontaneously catch fire when exposed to air, the element is a fire hazard in its pure form. It should be stored in an inert environment such as mineral oil, and it should be handled carefully. Otherwise, strontium does not appear to impact human health. Radioactive isotopes of the metal such as those used in medical practice are, however, dangerous, and access to them is usually carefully controlled. People who are exposed to radioactive forms of strontium are trained in taking the proper precautions, and they may be routinely tested for dangerous exposure levels.
Strontium is a silvery, metal element, abbreviated Sr, with an atomic number of 38. It is a member of the alkaline metals family of elements, and as such, is chemically similar to calcium and highly reactive. For this reason, it is not found in nature in its pure form, but only as a component of various minerals. Pure strontium reacts violently with water and quickly oxidizes in air, even spontaneously combusting in air when powdered. While used for a number of things, the chief uses of strontium are in fireworks, metal alloys, the field of medicine, and to an increasingly lesser extent, old-fashioned color television picture tubes.
One of the first uses for strontium, and one that it is still used for today, is for the processing of raw sugar. Strontium hydroxide is used to process sugar from sugar beets and is sometimes used for removing of molasses from raw sugar. This strontium compound was historically produced from the strontium minerals strontianite and celestite.
In 2011, one of the main uses of strontium is in pyrotechnics. Its properties make it useful for producing certain vibrant red colors in fireworks, emergency flares, and tracer ammunition. Strontium burns with an extremely bright, red-hued light. Other common uses for strontium include the formulation of several metal alloys, particularly some steels and aluminum. It is sometimes used in the refining of certain metals as well.
One of the primary uses for strontium in the past was in color television cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Although still in production, as of 2011, these are rapidly becoming less and less common. Strontium oxide is mixed with glass and absorbs x-rays generated by the CRT. This glass is primarily used for the display surface of the tube itself, but not the entire tube, as lead glass is used for the rest.
Some important uses of strontium are found in the field of medicine, as well. While research is still being conducted, it is believed that certain strontium compounds can help prevent and treat osteoporosis and even help reverse bone loss. Radioactive isotopes of strontium are used to treat some cancers as well, particularly that of the prostate gland in men and certain highly progressed forms of bone cancer.
Science and industry make many other uses of strontium. Strontium is used in neurological research of the mechanisms by which neurons and chemical receptors work. The element is also found in certain pigments, particularly dyes and paints. Strontium compounds are used in toothpastes, fluorescent lights, and in corrosion resistant coatings for other metals. In the laboratory, strontium and its compounds are frequently employed in the practice of analytic chemistry.