67Zn

67Zn is a stable isotope of zinc with mass number 67 and atomic number 30. It is one of the five stable zinc isotopes and makes up a noticeable, though minority, portion of natural zinc, accounting for about 4% of zinc atoms in typical samples.

Nuclear properties: The nucleus contains 37 neutrons. 67Zn is stable and does not undergo radioactive decay. It has a nonzero nuclear spin, which makes it relevant for certain magnetic resonance and nuclear spectroscopy studies.

Natural occurrence and enrichment: 67Zn occurs naturally in zinc ore and can be separated and enriched for research purposes using isotope separation techniques. Its presence in natural zinc allows for straightforward isotopic studies without artificial production in many contexts.

Applications and research: In scientific research, 67Zn is used as an isotopic tracer in geochemical and biochemical investigations and is employed in specialized nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments to probe zinc-binding sites in biomolecules. The combination of its modest natural abundance and quadrupolar nuclear properties requires sensitive instrumentation and careful interpretation of spectroscopic data.

See also: other zinc isotopes such as 64Zn, 66Zn, 68Zn, and 70Zn.