Radium is primarily extracted as a byproduct in uranium mining, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry. Alpha particles emitted by the radium kills the cancerous cells. According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, radium is in the same group as calcium and is sometimes used to target bone cancer. Radium emits alpha particles (two protons and two neutrons bonded together), beta particles (high energy electrons or positrons), and gamma rays (the most energetic wavelength of light), according to New World Encyclopedia. Health effects from radium exposure include cancer, anemia, cataracts, and death. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, radium typically enters the body when it is breathed in or swallowed. According to Chemicool, the radium isotope that has the longest half-life is radium-226 with a half-life of 1602 years. Radium changes from a silvery white color to black when exposed to air, according to Lenntech due to oxidation. The other alkali earth metals include beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium. Radium is the heaviest alkaline earth metal, according to Encyclopedia. This makes it the 84thmost abundant element in Earth's crust according to Periodic Table. According to Chemicool, radium has an abundance in the Earth's crust about 1 part per trillion by weight. Most common isotopes: Ra-226 (unknown percent of natural abundance), Ra-223 (unknown percent of natural abundance), Ra-224 (unknown percent of natural abundance), Ra-228 (unknown percent of natural abundance). Number of natural isotopes (atoms of the same element with a different number of neutrons): 33. Melting point: 1,292 degrees Fahrenheit (700 degrees Celsius). Density: 3.2 ounces per cubic inch (5.5 grams per cubic cm). Atomic weight (average mass of the atom): 226. Atomic symbol (on the periodic table of elements): Ra. Atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus): 88. There are several known isotopes of radium, but due to the rapid decay rates of many of the isotopes, it is uncertain about the natural abundances of the radium isotopes. Trace amounts of radium are found in uranium ore, because radium is created from the decay of the uranium atom, which then into several other unstable elements before finally ending in the element lead. used must be immediately thrown away! Radium can also be absorbed under the nails, so hands must be protected with rubber gloves at all times.Radium has an abundance of about 1 part per trillion in the Earth's crust, according to Chemicool. A new, safe paint such as the Superluminova type can now be applied, or the dial can be left as it is.Īttention! All rags, sticks, paper, etc. Here we have the clean dial – very, beautiful, and with zero radiation. 
Then everything is rinsed with running water and washed with liquid soap and a cotton swab. The hands are also cleaned under the water, and then rinsed using gasoline. The radium paint comes off easily in the water.
This step should not be rushed – you must always take your time, and the main thing to remember is not to press hard, and instead use light, gentle movements. With a sharpened wooden stick, the radium paint is gently scraped from the dial. While holding the dial down carefully using one finger, it is imperative that rubber gloves are worn. After letting it rest in the water for about 3 – 5 minutes, the paint will start to soften. All operations on the watch are carried out under water in order to avoid any inhalation of radium dust. The dial and hands are carefully removed from the mechanism. Initially, the background radiation from the dial was 908 microrentgen, and 250 microrentgen from the hands. This is a dial from a military watch – the case has been lost and only the mechanism survives, but we will make it into a wristwatch. It is also very important that the dial is kept intact, it is easy to ruin the enamel when scraping the radium paint from it! When removing the radium, movements must be careful, thoughtful, and calm. It is vital that the watch should be housed in an airtight bag. When the watch is without its glass cover, radioactive dust can fall from it, causing the possibility of food contamination or inhalation into the raspatory tract which is very dangerous. A simple demonstration of removing radium from an enamel dialįirst of all, of course, there are precautions that must be taken.
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