ATSDR - Toxic Substances - Strontium
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Strontium

CAS ID #: 7440-24-6

Affected Organ Systems: Musculoskeletal (Muscles and Skeleton)

Cancer Classification: None

Please contact NTP, IARC, or EPA’s IRIS Hotline with questions on cancer and cancer classification.

Chemical Classification: Inorganic substances, Radionuclides (radioactive materials)

Summary: Strontium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, dust, coal, and oil. Naturally occurring strontium is not radioactive and is either referred to as stable strontium or strontium. Strontium in the environment exists in four stable isotopes, 84Sr (read as strontium eighty-four), 86Sr, 87Sr, 88Sr. Strontium compounds are used in making ceramics and glass products, pyrotechnics, paint pigments, fluorescent lights, and medicines. Strontium can also exist as several radioactive isotopes; the most common is 90Sr. 90Sr is formed in nuclear reactors or during the explosion of nuclear weapons. Radioactive strontium generates beta particles as it decays. One of the radioactive properties of strontium is half-life, or the time it takes for half of the isotope to give off its radiation and change into another substance. The half-life of 90Sr is 29 years.

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