Strontium in the Environment and Possible Human Health Effects

Recent developments and trends in the application of strontium and its isotopes in biological related fields

“…In sedimentary rocks Sr is enriched in carbonate rocks [5].Weathering is responsible for releasing strontium from rocks into soils and subsequently to plants and animals, and for entering the oceans primarily by river transport of sediments [6]. Human activities also contribute to the release of strontium into the atmosphere, as aerosols [7].…”

“…Strontium has four stable isotopes 88 Sr, 87 Sr, 86 Sr and 84 Sr with relative average Earth's abundances of 82.5845%, 7.0015%, 9.8566% and 0.5574%, respectively [8]. These were formed during the stellar synthesis [7]. 87 Sr has the particularity of being the only stable isotope of strontium that is radiogenic.…”

“…Additionally to its four stable isotopes, strontium has twenty nine radioactive isotopes [7], which defines as the property of a nuclide of undergoing spontaneous nuclear transformations with the emission of radiation [23], The unstable 89 Sr and 90 Sr result from anthropogenic activity [24]. They are formed during nuclear reactor operations and nuclear explosions by the fission of uranium and plutonium ( 235 U, 238 U or 239 Pu) [7]. Some of these radioactive isotopes have already demonstrated its usefulness in different medical applications as will be discussed in chapter 2.1.…”

“…While calcium represents 1.4% of total body mass, strontium accounts for only 0.00044% [1]. Several factors contribute to this, namely that calcium is more easily absorbed than strontium, the renal excretion of the last is three times higher than the former [1], and a much higher daily intake of calcium over strontium [7,54]. In addition, strontium suffers biopurification, i.e.…”

Strontium(II) adsorption on Sb(III)/Sb2O5

“…There is evidence that in humans radioactive strontium uptake increases the risk of leukemia and bone neoplasms, and many other forms of cancer and autoimmune disease [1]. Because the radioactive strontium is in trace concentration and some LLRW solutions contain excessive ions such as Na + , K + and NO 3 -, which are radiologically inactive, selective separation methods are necessary in many cases.…”