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Cobalt is a silvery metallic element found naturally in places such as soil, rocks and water. It is known for it's magnetic properties and resistance to corrosion. It is most often associated with manufacturing alloys and for coloring glass and ceramics. Hence the name, "Cobalt blue."

Natural cobalt, cobalt-59, is a stable isotope. When natural cobalt is placed in a nuclear reactor and exposed to neutrons it transforms into a highly radioactive isotope (radioisotope) known as cobalt-60. Cobalt-60 is the radioisotope used for medicinal purposes primarily in treating cancers.

Fast growing cells, like cancer cells, are highly vulnerable to radioisotopes, meaning they will die more quickly than slower growing (good) cells when exposed to radioisotopes. Cobalt-60 is a type of radiation treatment. It can be administered internally by implanting the radioisotope on or near the cancer cell. It can also be administered externally by using the gamma rays of cobalt-60 for harder to reach areas such as the brain.

In addition to radiation treatments, cobalt-60 destroys pathogens such as bacteria and viruses and is therefore used for sterilizing medical instruments and is a trace element additive to food.

Another radioisotope manufactured from the stable isotope cobalt-59 is cobalt-57. Cobalt-57 is used for medical research. Cobalt-57 has a much shorter half-life, the amount of time for the isotope to give off half it's radiation, than cobalt-60. For cobalt-57 it is only 272 days compared to cobalt-60 which has a half life of 5.27 years.

Both radioisotopes cobalt-57 and cobalt-60 have direct uses in medicine. But, the manufacturing of cobalt-60 has some indirect effects on medicine from the by-products formed during cobalt-60's decaying process. Molybdenum is a derivative of this process and is involved in several enzyme functions such as uric acid formation and detoxification of sulfates and some chemicals. Iodine, which has positive effects on the thyroid, muscles, and liver, is another derivative through the decaying process in cobalt-60.

As with most things, moderation is key for good health, and cobalt in all it's forms is no exception. In moderation, cobalt-57, cobalt-59, and cobalt-60 can benefit the human body and therefore benefit medicine. The study of Nuclear Medicine has grown tremendously, and it is estimated it will continue to grow by about 10% a year into the future. Cobalt in all it's forms seems to have found it's place in this growing field.

Resources:

Web:
Cobalt-60, CalTech
"Radioisotopes in Medicine," Nuclear Issues Briefing Paper 26 January,2008,
Published by Uranium Information Centre Ltd
CDC (Center for Disease)
ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)
Organic Pharmacy

Books:
A Guide to the elements, Oxford
Chemistry Made Simple, John T. Moore, Ed. D.
How to Split the Atom, Hazel Richardson
Chemistry DeMystified, Linda Williams

Learn more about this author, Dori Beldi.
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