Phosphorus-32

Phosphorous 32 is a radiactive isotope with an atomic mass of 31.97 amu. It has a half life of 14 days. Phosphrous 32 has a wide varitery of uses. It is used in agriculture for tracking a plant's uptake of fertilizer from the roots to the leaves. The information gathered by mapping the fertiliser’s uptake helps scientists understand how plants utilise phosphorus to grow and reproduce. Uses have also been found in the field of medicine in areas such as treatment and detection of cancer. Phosphorous 32 is useful in the identification of malignant tumors becasue cancerous cells tend to acumulate phosphates more than normal cells. It has also been used to treat ovarian cancer.



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