Isotopes of selenium

Isotopes of selenium (₃₄Se)
γ	–
γ	–
Standard atomic weight Ar°(Se)
	78.971±0.008; 78.971±0.008 (abridged);
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Selenium (₃₄Se) has six natural isotopes that occur in significant quantities, along with the trace isotope ⁷⁹Se, which occurs in minute quantities in uranium ores. Five of these isotopes are stable: ⁷⁴Se, ⁷⁶Se, ⁷⁷Se, ⁷⁸Se, and ⁸⁰Se. The last three also occur as fission products, along with ⁷⁹Se, which has a half-life of 327,000 years,^[4]^[5] and ⁸²Se, which has a very long half-life (~10²⁰ years, decaying via double beta decay to ⁸²Kr) and for practical purposes can be considered to be stable. There are 23 other unstable isotopes that have been characterized, the longest-lived being ⁷⁹Se with a half-life 327,000 years, ⁷⁵Se with a half-life of 120 days, and ⁷²Se with a half-life of 8.40 days. Of the other isotopes, ⁷³Se has the longest half-life, 7.15 hours; most others have half-lives not exceeding 38 seconds.

List of isotopes

Nuclide ^{[n 1]}	Z	N	Isotopic mass (Da)^[6] ^{[n 2]}^{[n 3]}	Half-life^[1] ^{[n 4]}^{[n 5]}	Decay mode^[1] ^{[n 6]}	Daughter isotope ^{[n 7]}	Spin and parity^[1] ^{[n 8]}^{[n 5]}	Natural abundance (mole fraction)
Nuclide ^{[n 1]}	Excitation energy			Half-life^[1] ^{[n 4]}^{[n 5]}	Decay mode^[1] ^{[n 6]}	Daughter isotope ^{[n 7]}	Spin and parity^[1] ^{[n 8]}^{[n 5]}	Normal proportion^[1]	Range of variation
⁶³Se	34	29	62.98191(54)#	13.2(39) ms	β⁺, p (89%)	⁶²Ge	3/2−#
					β⁺ (11%)	⁶³As
					2p? (<0.5%)	⁶¹Ge
⁶⁴Se	34	31	63.97117(54)#	22.6(2) ms	β⁺?	⁶⁴As	0+
⁶⁴Se	34	31	63.97117(54)#	22.6(2) ms	β⁺, p?	⁶³Ge	0+
⁶⁵Se	34	31	64.96455(32)#	34.2(7) ms	β⁺, p (87%)	⁶⁴Ge	3/2−#
⁶⁵Se	34	31	64.96455(32)#	34.2(7) ms	β⁺ (13%)	⁶⁵As	3/2−#
⁶⁶Se	34	32	65.95528(22)#	54(4) ms	β⁺	⁶⁶As	0+
⁶⁶Se	34	32	65.95528(22)#	54(4) ms	β⁺, p?	⁶⁵Ge	0+
⁶⁷Se	34	33	66.949994(72)	133(4) ms	β⁺ (99.5%)	⁶⁷As	5/2−#
⁶⁷Se	34	33	66.949994(72)	133(4) ms	β⁺, p (0.5%)	⁶⁶Ge	5/2−#
⁶⁸Se	34	34	67.94182524(53)	35.5(7) s	β⁺	⁶⁸As	0+
⁶⁹Se	34	35	68.9394148(16)	27.4(2) s	β⁺ (99.95%)	⁶⁹As	1/2−
⁶⁹Se	34	35	68.9394148(16)	27.4(2) s	β⁺, p (.052%)	⁶⁸Ge	1/2−
^69m1Se	38.85(22) keV			2.0(2) μs	IT	⁶⁹Se	5/2−
^69m2Se	574.0(4) keV			955(16) ns	IT	⁶⁹Se	9/2+
⁷⁰Se	34	36	69.9335155(17)	41.1(3) min	β⁺	⁷⁰As	0+
⁷¹Se	34	37	70.9322094(30)	4.74(5) min	β⁺	⁷¹As	(5/2−)
^71m1Se	48.79(5) keV			5.6(7) μs	IT	⁷¹Se	(1/2−)
^71m2Se	260.48(10) keV			19.0(5) μs	IT	⁷¹Se	(9/2+)
⁷²Se	34	38	71.9271405(21)	8.40(8) d	EC	⁷²As	0+
⁷³Se	34	39	72.9267549(80)	7.15(9) h	β⁺	⁷³As	9/2+
^73mSe	25.71(4) keV			39.8(17) min	IT (72.6%)	⁷³Se	3/2−
^73mSe	25.71(4) keV			39.8(17) min	β⁺ (27.4%)	⁷³As	3/2−
⁷⁴Se	34	40	73.922475933(15)	Observationally Stable^{[n 9]}			0+	0.0086(3)
⁷⁵Se	34	41	74.922522870(78)	119.78(3) d	EC	⁷⁵As	5/2+
⁷⁶Se	34	42	75.919213702(17)	Stable			0+	0.0923(7)
⁷⁷Se	34	43	76.919914150(67)	Stable			1/2−	0.0760(7)
^77mSe	161.9223(10) keV			17.36(5) s	IT	⁷⁷Se	7/2+
⁷⁸Se	34	44	77.91730924(19)	Stable			0+	0.2369 (22)
⁷⁹Se^{[n 10]}	34	45	78.91849925(24)	3.27(28)×10⁵ y	β⁻	⁷⁹Br	7/2+
^79mSe	95.77(3) keV			3.900(18) min	IT (99.94%)	⁷⁹Se	1/2−
^79mSe	95.77(3) keV			3.900(18) min	β⁻ (0.056%)	⁷⁹Br	1/2−
⁸⁰Se	34	46	79.9165218(10)	Observationally Stable^{[n 11]}			0+	0.4980(36)
⁸¹Se	34	47	80.9179930(10)	18.45(12) min	β⁻	⁸¹Br	1/2−
^81mSe	103.00(6) keV			57.28(2) min	IT (99.95%)	⁸¹Se	7/2+
^81mSe	103.00(6) keV			57.28(2) min	β⁻ (.051%)	⁸¹Br	7/2+
⁸²Se^{[n 12]}	34	48	81.91669953(50)	8.76(15)×10¹⁹ y	β⁻β⁻	⁸²Kr	0+	0.0882(15)
⁸³Se	34	49	82.9191186(33)	22.25(4) min	β⁻	⁸³Br	9/2+
^83mSe	228.92(7) keV			70.1(4) s	β⁻	⁸³Br	1/2−
⁸⁴Se	34	50	83.9184668(21)	3.26(10) min	β⁻	⁸⁴Br	0+
⁸⁵Se	34	51	84.9222608(28)	32.9(3) s	β⁻	⁸⁵Br	(5/2)+
⁸⁶Se	34	52	85.9243117(27)	14.3(3) s	β⁻	⁸⁶Br	0+
⁸⁶Se	34	52	85.9243117(27)	14.3(3) s	β⁻, n?	⁸⁵Br	0+
⁸⁷Se	34	53	86.9286886(24)	5.50(6) s	β⁻ (99.50%)	⁸⁷Br	(3/2+)
⁸⁷Se	34	53	86.9286886(24)	5.50(6) s	β⁻, n (0.60%)	⁸⁶Br	(3/2+)
⁸⁸Se	34	54	87.9314175(36)	1.53(6) s	β⁻ (99.01%)	⁸⁸Br	0+
⁸⁸Se	34	54	87.9314175(36)	1.53(6) s	β⁻, n (0.99%)	⁸⁷Br	0+
⁸⁹Se	34	55	88.9366691(40)	430(50) ms	β⁻ (92.2%)	⁸⁹Br	5/2+#
⁸⁹Se	34	55	88.9366691(40)	430(50) ms	β⁻, n (7.8%)	⁸⁸Br	5/2+#
⁹⁰Se	34	56	89.94010(35)	210(80) ms	β⁻	⁹⁰Br	0+
⁹⁰Se	34	56	89.94010(35)	210(80) ms	β⁻, n?	⁸⁹Br	0+
⁹¹Se	34	57	90.94570(47)	270(50) ms	β⁻ (79%)	⁹¹Br	1/2+#
					β⁻, n (21%)	⁹⁰Br
					β⁻, 2n?	⁸⁹Br
⁹²Se	34	58	91.94984(43)#	90# ms [>300 ns]	β⁻?	⁹²Br	0+
					β⁻, n?	⁹¹Br
					β⁻, 2n?	⁹⁰Br
^92mSe	3072(2) keV			15.7(7) μs	IT	⁹²Se	(9−)
⁹³Se	34	59	92.95614(43)#	130# ms [>300 ns]	β⁻?	⁹³Br	1/2+#
					β⁻, n?	⁹²Br
					β⁻, 2n?	⁹¹Br
^93mSe	678.2(7) keV			420(100) ns	IT	⁹³Se
⁹⁴Se	34	60	93.96049(54)#	50# ms [>300 ns]	β⁻?	⁹⁴Br	0+
					β⁻, n?	⁹³Br
					β⁻, 2n?	⁹²Br
^94mSe	2430.0(6) keV			680(50) ns	IT	⁹⁴Se	(7−)
⁹⁵Se	34	61	94.96730(54)#	70# ms [>400 ns]	β⁻?	⁹⁵Br	3/2+#
					β⁻, n?	⁹⁴Br
					β⁻, 2n?	⁹³Br
⁹⁶Se^[7]	34	62
⁹⁷Se^[7]	34	63
This table header & footer: view

^ ^mSe – Excited nuclear isomer.
^ ( ) – Uncertainty (1σ) is given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits.
^ # – Atomic mass marked #: value and uncertainty derived not from purely experimental data, but at least partly from trends from the Mass Surface (TMS).
^ Bold half-life – nearly stable, half-life longer than age of universe.
^ ^a ^b # – Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from trends of neighboring nuclides (TNN).
^ Modes of decay:
EC: Electron capture
IT: Isomeric transition
n: Neutron emission
p: Proton emission
^ Bold symbol as daughter – Daughter product is stable.
^ ( ) spin value – Indicates spin with weak assignment arguments.
^ Believed to decay by β⁺β⁺ to ⁷⁴Ge with a half-life over 2.3×10¹⁸ y.
^ Long-lived fission product
^ Believed to decay by β⁻β⁻ to ⁸⁰Kr
^ Primordial radionuclide

Use of radioisotopes

The isotope selenium-75 has radiopharmaceutical uses. For example, it is used in high-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy, as an alternative to iridium-192.^[8]

In paleobiogeochemistry, the ratio in amount of selenium-82 to selenium-76 (i.e, the value of δ^82/76Se) can be used to track down the redox conditions on Earth during the Neoproterozoic era in order to gain a deeper understanding of the rapid oxygenation that trigger the emergence of complex organisms.^[9]^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.
^ "Standard Atomic Weights: Selenium". CIAAW. 2013.
^ Prohaska, Thomas; Irrgeher, Johanna; Benefield, Jacqueline; Böhlke, John K.; Chesson, Lesley A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Ding, Tiping; Dunn, Philip J. H.; Gröning, Manfred; Holden, Norman E.; Meijer, Harro A. J. (2022-05-04). "Standard atomic weights of the elements 2021 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. doi:10.1515/pac-2019-0603. ISSN 1365-3075.
^ The half-life of ⁷⁹Se Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ Jorg, Gerhard; Buhnemann, Rolf; Hollas, Simon; Kivel, Niko; Kossert, Karsten; Van Winckel, Stefaan; Gostomski, Christoph Lierse v. (2010). "Preparation of radiochemically pure ⁷⁹Se and highly precise determination of its half-life". Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 68 (12): 2339–51. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2010.05.006. PMID 20627600.
^ Wang, Meng; Huang, W.J.; Kondev, F.G.; Audi, G.; Naimi, S. (2021). "The AME 2020 atomic mass evaluation (II). Tables, graphs and references*". Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030003. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddaf.
^ ^a ^b Shimizu, Y.; Kubo, T.; Sumikama, T.; Fukuda, N.; Takeda, H.; Suzuki, H.; Ahn, D. S.; Inabe, N.; Kusaka, K.; Ohtake, M.; Yanagisawa, Y.; Yoshida, K.; Ichikawa, Y.; Isobe, T.; Otsu, H.; Sato, H.; Sonoda, T.; Murai, D.; Iwasa, N.; Imai, N.; Hirayama, Y.; Jeong, S. C.; Kimura, S.; Miyatake, H.; Mukai, M.; Kim, D. G.; Kim, E.; Yagi, A. (8 April 2024). "Production of new neutron-rich isotopes near the N = 60 isotones Ge 92 and As 93 by in-flight fission of a 345 MeV/nucleon U 238 beam". Physical Review C. 109 (4). doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.109.044313.
^ Shoemaker T; Vuong T; Glickman H; Kaifi S; Famulari G; Enger SA (2019). "Dosimetric Considerations for Ytterbium-169, Selenium-75, and Iridium-192 Radioisotopes in High-Dose-Rate Endorectal Brachytherapy". Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 105 (4): 875–883. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.07.003. PMID 31330175. S2CID 198170324.
^ Pogge von Strandmann, Philip A. E.; Stüeken, Eva E.; Elliott, Tim; Poulton, Simon W.; Dehler, Carol M.; Canfield, Don E.; Catling, David C. (2015-12-18). "Selenium isotope evidence for progressive oxidation of the Neoproterozoic biosphere". Nature Communications. 6 (1): 10157. doi:10.1038/ncomms10157. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 4703861. PMID 26679529.
^ Stüeken, Eva E. "Selenium isotopes as a biogeochemical proxy in deep time" (PDF). core.ac.uk.

Isotope masses from:
- Audi, Georges; Bersillon, Olivier; Blachot, Jean; Wapstra, Aaldert Hendrik (2003), "The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties", Nuclear Physics A, 729: 3–128, Bibcode:2003NuPhA.729....3A, doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001
Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from:
- de Laeter, John Robert; Böhlke, John Karl; De Bièvre, Paul; Hidaka, Hiroshi; Peiser, H. Steffen; Rosman, Kevin J. R.; Taylor, Philip D. P. (2003). "Atomic weights of the elements. Review 2000 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 75 (6): 683–800. doi:10.1351/pac200375060683.
- Wieser, Michael E. (2006). "Atomic weights of the elements 2005 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 78 (11): 2051–2066. doi:10.1351/pac200678112051.
"News & Notices: Standard Atomic Weights Revised". International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. 19 October 2005.
Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources.
- Audi, Georges; Bersillon, Olivier; Blachot, Jean; Wapstra, Aaldert Hendrik (2003), "The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties", Nuclear Physics A, 729: 3–128, Bibcode:2003NuPhA.729....3A, doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001
- National Nuclear Data Center. "NuDat 2.x database". Brookhaven National Laboratory.
- Holden, Norman E. (2004). "11. Table of the Isotopes". In Lide, David R. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (85th ed.). Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0485-9.

[6] Se – Excited nuclear isomer.

[8] ( ) – Uncertainty (1σ) is given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits.

[TMS-9] # – Atomic mass marked #: value and uncertainty derived not from purely experimental data, but at least partly from trends from the Mass Surface (TMS).

[10] Bold half-life – nearly stable, half-life longer than age of universe.

[TNN-11] # – Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from trends of neighboring nuclides (TNN).

[12] Modes of decay:
EC: Electron capture
IT: Isomeric transition
n: Neutron emission
p: Proton emission

[13] Bold symbol as daughter – Daughter product is stable.

[14] ( ) spin value – Indicates spin with weak assignment arguments.

[15] Believed to decay by β⁺β⁺ to ⁷⁴Ge with a half-life over 2.3×10¹⁸ y.

[16] Long-lived fission product

[17] Believed to decay by β⁻β⁻ to ⁸⁰Kr

[18] Primordial radionuclide

[NUBASE2020-1] Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.

[2] "Standard Atomic Weights: Selenium". CIAAW. 2013.

[CIAAW2021-3] Prohaska, Thomas; Irrgeher, Johanna; Benefield, Jacqueline; Böhlke, John K.; Chesson, Lesley A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Ding, Tiping; Dunn, Philip J. H.; Gröning, Manfred; Holden, Norman E.; Meijer, Harro A. J. (2022-05-04). "Standard atomic weights of the elements 2021 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. doi:10.1515/pac-2019-0603. ISSN 1365-3075.

[life-4] The half-life of ⁷⁹Se Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

[5] Jorg, Gerhard; Buhnemann, Rolf; Hollas, Simon; Kivel, Niko; Kossert, Karsten; Van Winckel, Stefaan; Gostomski, Christoph Lierse v. (2010). "Preparation of radiochemically pure ⁷⁹Se and highly precise determination of its half-life". Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 68 (12): 2339–51. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2010.05.006. PMID 20627600.

[AME2020_II-7] Wang, Meng; Huang, W.J.; Kondev, F.G.; Audi, G.; Naimi, S. (2021). "The AME 2020 atomic mass evaluation (II). Tables, graphs and references*". Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030003. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddaf.

[shimizu2024-19] Shimizu, Y.; Kubo, T.; Sumikama, T.; Fukuda, N.; Takeda, H.; Suzuki, H.; Ahn, D. S.; Inabe, N.; Kusaka, K.; Ohtake, M.; Yanagisawa, Y.; Yoshida, K.; Ichikawa, Y.; Isobe, T.; Otsu, H.; Sato, H.; Sonoda, T.; Murai, D.; Iwasa, N.; Imai, N.; Hirayama, Y.; Jeong, S. C.; Kimura, S.; Miyatake, H.; Mukai, M.; Kim, D. G.; Kim, E.; Yagi, A. (8 April 2024). "Production of new neutron-rich isotopes near the N = 60 isotones Ge 92 and As 93 by in-flight fission of a 345 MeV/nucleon U 238 beam". Physical Review C. 109 (4). doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.109.044313.

[20] Shoemaker T; Vuong T; Glickman H; Kaifi S; Famulari G; Enger SA (2019). "Dosimetric Considerations for Ytterbium-169, Selenium-75, and Iridium-192 Radioisotopes in High-Dose-Rate Endorectal Brachytherapy". Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 105 (4): 875–883. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.07.003. PMID 31330175. S2CID 198170324.

[21] Pogge von Strandmann, Philip A. E.; Stüeken, Eva E.; Elliott, Tim; Poulton, Simon W.; Dehler, Carol M.; Canfield, Don E.; Catling, David C. (2015-12-18). "Selenium isotope evidence for progressive oxidation of the Neoproterozoic biosphere". Nature Communications. 6 (1): 10157. doi:10.1038/ncomms10157. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 4703861. PMID 26679529.

[22] Stüeken, Eva E. "Selenium isotopes as a biogeochemical proxy in deep time" (PDF). core.ac.uk.

[4]

[5]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[n 1]

[6]

[n 2]

[n 3]

[n 4]

[n 5]

[n 6]

[n 7]

[n 8]

[n 9]

[n 10]

[n 11]

[n 12]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

EC:	Electron capture
IT:	Isomeric transition
n:	Neutron emission
p:	Proton emission