66Zn

66Zn is a stable isotope of zinc with mass number 66. It has 30 protons and 36 neutrons, making it an even-even nucleus. In natural zinc, 66Zn is one of the five stable isotopes, together with 64Zn, 67Zn, 68Zn, and 70Zn. Its atomic mass is about 65.926 u.

Natural abundance and properties. Among natural zinc, 66Zn accounts for roughly a quarter to a little over a quarter of atoms, with a commonly cited value near 28 percent. Because it is an even-even nucleus, its ground-state spin is 0+. Being stable, 66Zn does not undergo radioactive decay under normal conditions.

Occurrence and production. 66Zn occurs in naturally occurring zinc minerals, such as sphalerite, as part of the isotopic mixture of zinc. It can also be isolated or enriched in laboratory settings for research purposes, including isotopic analyses and tracer studies.

Applications and significance. Stable isotopes of zinc, including 66Zn, are used in isotopic ratio mass spectrometry to study zinc metabolism in biology and medicine, nutrient cycling in ecology, and provenance studies in archaeology and geology. They also serve as references in metallurgical research and in geochemical investigations that discriminate processes affecting zinc isotopes.

See also. Zinc, isotopes of zinc, isotopic labeling, isotopic analysis.