Californium | 23 Aug 2024
Recently, police in Bihar’s Gopalganj seized 50 grams of the highly radioactive metal Californium, estimated to be worth Rs 850 crore.
- Californium is a silvery-white metal that tarnishes gradually when exposed to air at room temperature.
- It is so soft and malleable that it can be sliced with a razor blade and its spectral lines have been detected in supernova.
- Chemical symbol of Californium is Cf and the atomic number is 98.
- Created in 1950 at Berkeley, it is a powerful neutron emitter.
- It is utilized in portable metal detectors to identify gold and silver ores, locate water and oil layers in wells, and detect metal fatigue and stress in airplanes.
- Neutrons from Californium (Cf-252) are utilised to serve the treatment of brain and cervical cancers when radiation therapy proves futile.
- Highly radioactive and extremely costly, Californium is priced at approximately Rs 17 crore per gram in the international market (one of the most expensive substances in the world).