Poloniums

Poloniums is a term that can refer to a group of isotopes of the chemical element polonium. Polonium itself is a rare and highly radioactive chemical element with the symbol Po and atomic number 84. It is a metalloid and a member of the chalcogen group. All isotopes of polonium are radioactive. The most common and stable isotope is polonium-209, which has a half-life of about 103 years. Other isotopes, such as polonium-210, have much shorter half-lives and are significantly more radioactive.

Polonium was discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie, who named it after their native country, Poland. Due to its intense radioactivity, polonium is found in extremely small quantities in nature, primarily as a decay product of uranium. It is also produced artificially in nuclear reactors.

The most well-known isotope, polonium-210, emits alpha particles and has a half-life of approximately 138 days. This high radioactivity makes it a potential radiation hazard. Polonium has found limited applications, primarily in research and in some specialized industrial uses, such as static eliminators. Its extreme toxicity and radioactivity mean it is handled with great care and is not used in consumer products.