iodine134

Iodine-134 is a radioactive isotope of iodine. It is produced during the nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium. Iodine-134 has a short half-life, decaying primarily through beta emission to xenon-134. Its half-life is approximately 6.9 minutes. Due to its rapid decay, iodine-134 is not typically found in significant quantities in the environment under normal circumstances.

The presence of iodine-134 is usually associated with nuclear activities, such as nuclear reactors or nuclear weapons testing. In the context of nuclear medicine, while other iodine isotopes like iodine-131 are widely used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, iodine-134 is not commonly employed due to its short half-life and the energetic nature of its decay products.

The decay of iodine-134 releases beta particles and gamma rays. Monitoring its presence can be important in nuclear safety and environmental radiation assessment, particularly in the immediate aftermath of a nuclear event. While not a primary medical or industrial isotope, its formation is a known byproduct of nuclear fission processes.