Is cesium dangerous

Is cesium radioactive?

Naturally occurring cesium is not radioactive and is referred to as stable cesium. There is only one stable form of cesium naturally present in the environment, 133 Cs (read as cesium one-thirty-three). Nuclear explosions or the breakdown of uranium in fuel elements can produce two radioactive forms of cesium, 134 Cs and 137 Cs.

Is radioactive cesium dangerous?

Cesium is uniformly distributed throughout the whole body similar to potassium, and it does not accumulate in any one particular part of the body like iodine (thyroid) or strontium (bones). For this reason, radioactive cesium only poses significant health risks if a large amount has been ingested.

What is the risk of exposure to stable cesium?

Since the average concentration of stable cesium in the earth's crust is low (on average about 1 ppm) and stable cesium is used only in small quantities in electronic and energy production industries, the risk of significant exposure to stable cesium via inhalation, oral, or dermal routes is expected to be small.

Where is cesium found?

Cesium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, and dust at low concentrations. Granites contain an average cesium concentration of about 1 part of cesium in a million parts of granite (ppm) and sedimentary rocks contain about 4 ppm. Natural cesium is present in the environment in only one stable form (isotope), ¹³³Cs.