What is Cesium?
A2. Cesium is the most sublime and electropositive of all true elements. It was discovered spectroscopically, in mineral water from Durkheim Germany by Robert Bunsen (of burner fame) and Gustaff Kirchhoff in 1860. The basis of the discovery was two, beautiful sky-blue lines from which it takes its name (Latin, caesius, sky-blue). Atomic number 55, Cesium is the heaviest of the natural alkali metals. Physically, it is a soft metal or light liquid, pale gold in color when pure, silvery-white otherwise. It melts at 28.4 C, just below body heat, and boils at 669.3 C. It has a specific gravity of 1.873, and an atomic weight of 132.9045. Actual pictures Cesium occurs naturally in the minerals lepidolite and pollucite, the latter a hydrated aluminum cesium silicate. The richest known deposit occurs at Bernic Lake Manitoba where pollucite deposits averaging over 20% Cesium are estimated to exceed 300,000 metric tons. (Bernic Lake is also the site of the annual Cesium festival on February 24 wh
Cesium is a rare metallic chemical element which is used in an assortment of industries. It also has a wide range of isotopes, many of which are radioactive. Since cesium is highly reactive, the element is not usually found in a pure form in nature; most of the world’s cesium comes from minerals and nuclear fission. Consumers do not generally interact directly with cesium or its isotopes, although they may own products which contain a cesium component. In appearance, cesium is soft and silvery white. It has the unusual property of being liquid at room temperature. The element is also extremely reactive, highly alkaline, and very electropositive. Cesium can react violently with water, ice, or moist air. It is identified with the symbol Cs on the periodic table of elements, and it has an atomic number of 55. The high reactivity of this element means that it appears in a number of compounds, some of which are toxic. The discovery of cesium is credited to Gustav Kirchoff and Robert Bunsen
This Public Health Statement is the summary chapter from the Toxicological Profile for cesium. It is one in a series of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances and their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQs™, is also available. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present. For more information, call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737.
