Isotopes of mercury explained

There are seven stable isotopes of mercury (₈₀Hg) with ²⁰²Hg being the most abundant (29.86%). The longest-lived radioisotopes are ¹⁹⁴Hg with a half-life of 444 years, and ²⁰³Hg with a half-life of 46.612 days. Most of the remaining 40 radioisotopes have half-lives that are less than a day. ¹⁹⁹Hg and ²⁰¹Hg are the most often studied NMR-active nuclei, having spin quantum numbers of 1/2 and 3/2 respectively. All isotopes of mercury are either radioactive or observationally stable, meaning that they are predicted to be radioactive but no actual decay has been observed. These isotopes are predicted to undergo either alpha decay or double beta decay.

List of isotopes

|-| ¹⁷⁰Hg^[1] | style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 90| | 80(+400-40) μs| α| ¹⁶⁶Pt| 0+|||-| ¹⁷¹Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 91| 171.00376(32)#| 80(30) μs
[59(+36−16) μs]| α| ¹⁶⁷Pt| 3/2−#|||-| ¹⁷²Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 92| 171.99883(22)| 420(240) μs
[0.25(+35−9) ms]| α| ¹⁶⁸Pt| 0+|||-| ¹⁷³Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 93| 172.99724(22)#| 1.1(4) ms
[0.6(+5−2) ms]| α| ¹⁶⁹Pt| 3/2−#|||-| ¹⁷⁴Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 94| 173.992864(21)| 2.0(4) ms
[2.1(+18−7) ms]| α| ¹⁷⁰Pt| 0+|||-| ¹⁷⁵Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 95| 174.99142(11)| 10.8(4) ms| α| ¹⁷¹Pt| 5/2−#|||-| rowspan=2|¹⁷⁶Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 96| rowspan=2|175.987355(15)| rowspan=2|20.4(15) ms| α (98.6%)| ¹⁷²Pt| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| β⁺ (1.4%)| ¹⁷⁶Au|-| rowspan=2|¹⁷⁷Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 97| rowspan=2|176.98628(8)| rowspan=2|127.3(18) ms| α (85%)| ¹⁷³Pt| rowspan=2|5/2−#| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| β⁺ (15%)| ¹⁷⁷Au|-| rowspan=2|¹⁷⁸Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 98| rowspan=2|177.982483(14)| rowspan=2|0.269(3) s| α (70%)| ¹⁷⁴Pt| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| β⁺ (30%)| ¹⁷⁸Au|-| rowspan=3|¹⁷⁹Hg| rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 99| rowspan=3|178.981834(29)| rowspan=3|1.09(4) s| α (53%)| ¹⁷⁵Pt| rowspan=3|5/2−#| rowspan=3|| rowspan=3||-| β⁺ (47%)| ¹⁷⁹Au|-| β⁺, p (.15%)| ¹⁷⁸Pt|-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁰Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 100| rowspan=2|179.978266(15)| rowspan=2|2.58(1) s| β⁺ (52%)| ¹⁸⁰Au| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (48%)| ¹⁷⁶Pt|-| rowspan=4|¹⁸¹Hg| rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" | 101| rowspan=4|180.977819(17)| rowspan=4|3.6(1) s| β⁺ (64%)| ¹⁸¹Au| rowspan=4|1/2(−)| rowspan=4|| rowspan=4||-| α (36%)| ¹⁷⁷Pt|-| β⁺, p (.014%)| ¹⁸⁰Pt|-| β⁺, α (9×10⁻⁶%)| ¹⁷⁷Ir|-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^181mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 210(40)# keV|||| 13/2+|||-| rowspan=3|¹⁸²Hg| rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 102| rowspan=3|181.97469(1)| rowspan=3|10.83(6) s| β⁺ (84.8%)| ¹⁸²Au| rowspan=3|0+| rowspan=3|| rowspan=3||-| α (15.2%)| ¹⁷⁸Pt|-| β⁺, p (10⁻⁵%)| ¹⁸¹Pt|-| rowspan=3|¹⁸³Hg| rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 103| rowspan=3|182.974450(9)| rowspan=3|9.4(7) s| β⁺ (74.5%)| ¹⁸³Au| rowspan=3|1/2−| rowspan=3|| rowspan=3||-| α (25.5%)| ¹⁷⁹Pt|-| β⁺, p (5.6×10⁻⁴%)| ¹⁸²Pt|-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^183m1Hg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 198(14) keV|||| 13/2+#|||-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^183m2Hg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 240(40)# keV| 5# s| β⁺| ¹⁸³Au| 13/2+#|||-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁴Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 104| rowspan=2|183.971713(11)| rowspan=2|30.6(3) s| β⁺ (98.89%)| ¹⁸⁴Au| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (1.11%)| ¹⁸⁰Pt|-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁵Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 105| rowspan=2|184.971899(17)| rowspan=2|49.1(10) s| β⁺ (94%)| ¹⁸⁵Au| rowspan=2|1/2−| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (6%)| ¹⁸¹Pt|-| rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" | ^185mHg| rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 99.3(5) keV| rowspan=3|21.6(15) s| IT (54%)| ¹⁸⁵Hg| rowspan=3|13/2+| rowspan=3|| rowspan=3||-| β⁺ (46%)| ¹⁸⁵Au|-| α (.03%)| ¹⁸¹Pt|-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁶Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 106| rowspan=2|185.969362(12)| rowspan=2|1.38(6) min| β⁺ (99.92%)| ¹⁸⁶Au| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (.016%)| ¹⁸²Pt|-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^186mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2217.3(4) keV| 82(5) μs||| (8−)|||-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁷Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 107| rowspan=2|186.969814(15)| rowspan=2|1.9(3) min| β⁺| ¹⁸⁷Au| rowspan=2|3/2−| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (1.2×10⁻⁴%)| ¹⁸³Pt|-| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^187mHg| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 59(16) keV| rowspan=2|2.4(3) min| β⁺| ¹⁸⁷Au| rowspan=2|13/2+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (2.5×10⁻⁴%)| ¹⁸³Pt|-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁸Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 108| rowspan=2|187.967577(12)| rowspan=2|3.25(15) min| β⁺| ¹⁸⁸Au| rowspan=2|0+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (3.7×10⁻⁵%)| ¹⁸⁴Pt|-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^188mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2724.3(4) keV| 134(15) ns||| (12+)|||-| rowspan=2|¹⁸⁹Hg| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80| rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 109| rowspan=2|188.96819(4)| rowspan=2|7.6(1) min| β⁺| ¹⁸⁹Au| rowspan=2|3/2−| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (3×10⁻⁵%)| ¹⁸⁵Pt|-| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^189mHg| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 80(30) keV| rowspan=2|8.6(1) min| β⁺| ¹⁸⁹Au| rowspan=2|13/2+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| α (3×10⁻⁵%)| ¹⁸⁵Pt|-| ¹⁹⁰Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 110| 189.966322(17)| 20.0(5) min| β⁺| ¹⁹⁰Au| 0+|||-| ¹⁹¹Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 111| 190.967157(24)| 49(10) min| β⁺| ¹⁹¹Au| 3/2(−)|||-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^191mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 128(22) keV| 50.8(15) min| β⁺| ¹⁹¹Au| 13/2+|||-| ¹⁹²Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 112| 191.965634(17)| 4.85(20) h| EC| ¹⁹²Au| 0+|||-| ¹⁹³Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 113| 192.966665(17)| 3.80(15) h| β⁺| ¹⁹³Au| 3/2−|||-| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^193mHg| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 140.76(5) keV| rowspan=2|11.8(2) h| β⁺ (92.9%)| ¹⁹³Au| rowspan=2|13/2+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| IT (7.1%)| ¹⁹³Hg|-| ¹⁹⁴Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 114| 193.965439(13)| 444(77) y| EC| ¹⁹⁴Au| 0+|||-| ¹⁹⁵Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 115| 194.966720(25)| 10.53(3) h| β⁺| ¹⁹⁵Au| 1/2−|||-| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^195mHg| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 176.07(4) keV| rowspan=2|41.6(8) h| IT (54.2%)| ¹⁹⁵Hg| rowspan=2|13/2+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| β⁺ (45.8%)| ¹⁹⁵Au|-| ¹⁹⁶Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 116| 195.965833(3)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[2] | 0+| 0.0015(1)||-| ¹⁹⁷Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 117| 196.967213(3)| 64.14(5) h| EC| ¹⁹⁷Au| 1/2−|||-| rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^197mHg| rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 298.93(8) keV| rowspan=2|23.8(1) h| IT (91.4%)| ¹⁹⁷Hg| rowspan=2|13/2+| rowspan=2|| rowspan=2||-| EC (8.6%)| ¹⁹⁷Au|-| ¹⁹⁸Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 118| 197.9667690(4)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[3] | 0+| 0.0997(20)||-| ¹⁹⁹Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 119| 198.9682799(4)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[4] | 1/2−| 0.1687(22)||-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^199mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 532.48(10) keV| 42.66(8) min| IT| ¹⁹⁹Hg| 13/2+|||-| ²⁰⁰Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 120| 199.9683260(4)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[5] | 0+| 0.2310(19)||-| ²⁰¹Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 121| 200.9703023(6)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[6] | 3/2−| 0.1318(9)||-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^201mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 766.22(15) keV| 94(3) μs||| 13/2+|||-| ²⁰²Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 122| 201.9706430(6)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[7] | 0+| 0.2986(26)||-| ²⁰³Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 123| 202.9728725(18)| 46.595(6) d| β⁻| ²⁰³Tl| 5/2−|||-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^203mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 933.14(23) keV| 24(4) μs||| (13/2+)|||-| ²⁰⁴Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 124| 203.9734939(4)| colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable^[8] | 0+| 0.0687(15)||-| ²⁰⁵Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 125| 204.976073(4)| 5.14(9) min| β⁻| ²⁰⁵Tl| 1/2−|||-| style="text-indent:1em" | ^205mHg| colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1556.40(17) keV| 1.09(4) ms| IT| ²⁰⁵Hg| 13/2+|||-| ²⁰⁶Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 126| 205.977514(22)| 8.15(10) min| β⁻| ²⁰⁶Tl| 0+| Trace^[9] ||-| ²⁰⁷Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 127| 206.98259(16)| 2.9(2) min| β⁻| ²⁰⁷Tl| (9/2+)|||-| ²⁰⁸Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 128| 207.98594(32)#| 42(5) min
[41(+5−4) min]| β⁻| ²⁰⁸Tl| 0+|||-| ²⁰⁹Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 129| 208.99104(21)#| 37(8) s||| 9/2+#|||-| ²¹⁰Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 130| 209.99451(32)#| 10# min
[>300 ns]||| 0+|||-| ²¹¹Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 131| 210.99380(200)#| 26(8) s||| 9/2+#|||-| ²¹²Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 132| 212.02760(300)#| 1# min
[>300 ns]||| 0+|||-| ²¹³Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 133| 213.07670(300)#| 1# s
[>300 ns]||| 5/2+#|||-| ²¹⁴Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 134| 214.11180(400)#| 1# s
[>300 ns]||| 0+|||-| ²¹⁵Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 135| 215.16210(400)#| 1# s
[>300 ns]||| 3/2+#|||-| ²¹⁶Hg| style="text-align:right" | 80| style="text-align:right" | 136| 216.19860(400)#| 100# ms
[>300 ns]||| 0+||

References

• Isotope masses from:
  • • • • Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from:
        • Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources.

Notes and References

1. Hilton . J. . et al. . α-spectroscopy studies of the new nuclides ¹⁶⁵Pt and ¹⁷⁰Hg . 2019 . Physical Review C . 100 . 1 . 014305 . 10.1103/PhysRevC.100.014305. 2019PhRvC.100a4305H . 199118719 .
2. Believed to undergo β⁺β⁺ decay to ¹⁹⁶Pt with a half-life over 2.5×10¹⁸ years; also theorized to undergo α decay to ¹⁹²Pt
3. Believed to undergo α decay to ¹⁹⁴Pt
4. Believed to undergo α decay to ¹⁹⁵Pt
5. Believed to undergo α decay to ¹⁹⁶Pt
6. Believed to undergo α decay to ¹⁹⁷Pt
7. Believed to undergo α decay to ¹⁹⁸Pt
8. Believed to undergo β⁻β⁻ decay to ²⁰⁴Pb
9. Intermediate decay product of ²³⁸U