Isotopes of mercury

There are seven stable isotopes of mercury (₈₀Hg) with ²⁰²Hg being the most abundant (29.74%). The longest-lived radioisotopes are ¹⁹⁴Hg with a half-life of 447 years, and ²⁰³Hg with a half-life of 46.61 days. Most of the remaining 40 radioisotopes have half-lives that are less than a day. The odd natural isotopes ¹⁹⁹Hg and ²⁰¹Hg are NMR-active, having spin of 1/2 and 3/2 respectively; as NMR is best with spin 1/2, the former is normally used. 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

|-id=Mercury-170 | ¹⁷⁰Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 90 | 170.00581(32)# | 310(250)&nbsp;μs | α | ¹⁶⁶Pt | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-171 | ¹⁷¹Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 91 | 171.00359(33)# | 70(30)&nbsp;μs | α | ¹⁶⁷Pt | 3/2−# | | |-id=Mercury-172 | ¹⁷²Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 92 | 171.99886(16) | 231(9)&nbsp;μs | α | ¹⁶⁸Pt | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-173 | ¹⁷³Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 93 | 172.99714(22)# | 800(80)&nbsp;μs | α | ¹⁶⁹Pt | (7/2−) | | |-id=Mercury-174 | ¹⁷⁴Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 94 | 173.992871(21) | 2.0(4)&nbsp;ms | α | ¹⁷⁰Pt | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-175 | ¹⁷⁵Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 95 | 174.99144(9) | 10.2(3)&nbsp;ms | α | ¹⁷¹Pt | (7/2−) | | |-id=Mercury-175m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^175mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 494(2)&nbsp;keV | 340(30)&nbsp;ns | IT | ¹⁷⁵Hg | (13/2+) | | |-id=Mercury-176 | rowspan=2|¹⁷⁶Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 96 | rowspan=2|175.987349(12) | rowspan=2|20.3(14)&nbsp;ms | α (90%) | ¹⁷²Pt | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β⁺ (10%) | ¹⁷⁶Au |-id=Mercury-177 | ¹⁷⁷Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 97 | 176.98628(9) | 117(7)&nbsp;ms | α | ¹⁷³Pt | 7/2− | | |-id=Mercury-177m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^177mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 323.2(13)&nbsp;keV | 1.50(15)&nbsp;μs | IT | ¹⁷⁷Hg | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-178 | rowspan=2|¹⁷⁸Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 98 | rowspan=2|177.982485(12) | rowspan=2|266.5(24)&nbsp;ms | α (89%) | ¹⁷⁴Pt | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β⁺ (11%) | ¹⁷⁸Au |-id=Mercury-179 | rowspan=3|¹⁷⁹Hg | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 99 | rowspan=3|178.98182(3) | rowspan=3|1.05(3)&nbsp;s | α (75%) | ¹⁷⁵Pt | rowspan=3|7/2− | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β⁺ (25%) | ¹⁷⁹Au |- | β⁺, p (0.15%) | ¹⁷⁸Pt |-id=Mercury-179m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^179mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 171.4(4)&nbsp;keV | 6.4(9)&nbsp;μs | IT | ¹⁷⁹Hg | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-180 | rowspan=2|¹⁸⁰Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 100 | rowspan=2|179.978260(14) | rowspan=2|2.59(1)&nbsp;s | β⁺ (52%) | ¹⁸⁰Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (48%) | ¹⁷⁶Pt |-id=Mercury-181 | 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)&nbsp;s | β⁺ (73%) | ¹⁸¹Au | rowspan=4|1/2− | rowspan=4| | rowspan=4| |- | α (27%) | ¹⁷⁷Pt |- | β⁺, p (0.014%) | ¹⁸⁰Pt |- | β⁺, α (9×10^{−6}%) | ¹⁷⁷Ir |-id=Mercury-181m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^181mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 210(50)&nbsp;keV | 480(20)&nbsp;μs | IT | ¹⁸¹Hg | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-182 | rowspan=3|¹⁸²Hg | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 102 | rowspan=3|181.974689(11) | rowspan=3|10.83(6)&nbsp;s | β⁺ (86.2%) | ¹⁸²Au | rowspan=3|0+ | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | α (13.8%) | ¹⁷⁸Pt |- | β⁺, p (<1×10^{−5}%) | ¹⁸¹Pt |-id=Mercury-183 | rowspan=3|¹⁸³Hg | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 103 | rowspan=3|182.974445(8) | rowspan=3|9.4(7)&nbsp;s | β⁺ (88.3%) | ¹⁸³Au | rowspan=3|1/2− | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | α (11.7%) | ¹⁷⁹Pt |- | β⁺, p (2.6×10^{−4}%) | ¹⁸²Pt |-id=Mercury-183m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^183mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 204(14)&nbsp;keV | >5#&nbsp;μs | | | 13/2+# | | |-id=Mercury-184 | rowspan=2|¹⁸⁴Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 104 | rowspan=2|183.971718(10) | rowspan=2|30.87(26)&nbsp;s | β⁺ (98.89%) | ¹⁸⁴Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (1.11%) | ¹⁸⁰Pt |-id=Mercury-185 | rowspan=2|¹⁸⁵Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 105 | rowspan=2|184.971891(15) | rowspan=2|49.1(10)&nbsp;s | β⁺ (94%) | ¹⁸⁵Au | rowspan=2|1/2− | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (6%) | ¹⁸¹Pt |-id=Mercury-185m | rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" | ^185mHg | rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 103.7(4)&nbsp;keV | rowspan=3|21.6(15)&nbsp;s | IT (54%) | ¹⁸⁵Hg | rowspan=3|13/2+ | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β⁺ (46%) | ¹⁸⁵Au |- | α (0.03%) | ¹⁸¹Pt |-id=Mercury-186 | rowspan=2|¹⁸⁶Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 106 | rowspan=2|185.969362(13) | rowspan=2|1.38(6)&nbsp;min | β⁺ (99.98%) | ¹⁸⁶Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (0.016%) | ¹⁸²Pt |-id=Mercury-186m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^186mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2217.3(4)&nbsp;keV | 82(5)&nbsp;μs | IT | ¹⁸⁶Hg | (8−) | | |-id=Mercury-187 | ¹⁸⁷Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 107 | 186.969814(14) | 1.9(3)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁸⁷Au | 3/2− | | |-id=Mercury-187m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^187mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 58(14)&nbsp;keV | 2.4(3)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁸⁷Au | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-188 | rowspan=2|¹⁸⁸Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 108 | rowspan=2|187.967581(7) | rowspan=2|3.25(15)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁸⁸Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (3.7×10^{−5}%) | ¹⁸⁴Pt |-id=Mercury-188m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^188mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2724.1(4)&nbsp;keV | 142(14)&nbsp;ns | IT | ¹⁸⁸Hg | 12+ | | |-id=Mercury-189 | ¹⁸⁹Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 109 | 188.96819(3) | 7.6(2)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁸⁹Au | 3/2− | | |-id=Mercury-189m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^189mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 80(30)&nbsp;keV | 8.6(2)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁸⁹Au | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-190 | ¹⁹⁰Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 110 | 189.966322(17) | 20.0(5)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁹⁰Au | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-191 | ¹⁹¹Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 111 | 190.967158(24) | 49(10)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁹¹Au | 3/2− | | |-id=Mercury-191m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^191mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 128(22)&nbsp;keV | 50.8(15)&nbsp;min | β⁺ | ¹⁹¹Au | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-192 | ¹⁹²Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 112 | 191.965634(17) | 4.85(20)&nbsp;h | EC | ¹⁹²Au | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-193 | ¹⁹³Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 113 | 192.966653(17) | 3.80(15)&nbsp;h | β⁺ | ¹⁹³Au | 3/2− | | |-id=Mercury-193m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^193mHg | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 140.76(5)&nbsp;keV | rowspan=2|11.8(2)&nbsp;h | β⁺ (92.8%) | ¹⁹³Au | rowspan=2|13/2+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | IT (7.2%) | ¹⁹³Hg |-id=Mercury-194 | ¹⁹⁴Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 114 | 193.965449(3) | 447(28)&nbsp;y | EC | ¹⁹⁴Au | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-195 | ¹⁹⁵Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 115 | 194.966706(25) | 10.69(16)&nbsp;h | β⁺ | ¹⁹⁵Au | 1/2− | | |-id=Mercury-195m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^195mHg | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 176.07(4)&nbsp;keV | rowspan=2|41.60(19)&nbsp;h | IT (54.2%) | ¹⁹⁵Hg | rowspan=2|13/2+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β⁺ (45.8%) | ¹⁹⁵Au |-id=Mercury-196 | ¹⁹⁶Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 116 | 195.965833(3) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.0015(1) | |-id=Mercury-197 | ¹⁹⁷Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 117 | 196.967214(3) | 64.93(7)&nbsp;h | EC | ¹⁹⁷Au | 1/2− | | |-id=Mercury-197m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | ^197mHg | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 298.93(8)&nbsp;keV | rowspan=2|23.82(4)&nbsp;h | IT (94.68%) | ¹⁹⁷Hg | rowspan=2|13/2+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | EC (5.32%) | ¹⁹⁷Au |-id=Mercury-198 | ¹⁹⁸Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 118 | 197.9667692(5) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.1004(3) | |-id=Mercury-199 | ¹⁹⁹Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 119 | 198.9682810(6) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 1/2− | 0.1694(12) | |-id=Mercury-199m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^199mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 532.48(10)&nbsp;keV | 42.67(9)&nbsp;min | IT | ¹⁹⁹Hg | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-200 | ²⁰⁰Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 120 | 199.9683269(6) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.2314(9) | |-id=Mercury-201 | ²⁰¹Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 121 | 200.9703031(8) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 3/2− | 0.1317(9) | |-id=Mercury-201m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^201mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 766.22(15)&nbsp;keV | 94.0(20)&nbsp;μs | IT | ²⁰¹Hg | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-202 | ²⁰²Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 122 | 201.9706436(8) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.2974(13) | |-id=Mercury-203 | ²⁰³Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 123 | 202.9728724(18) | 46.610(10)&nbsp;d | β^− | ²⁰³Tl | 5/2− | | |-id=Mercury-203m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^203m1Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 933.14(23)&nbsp;keV | 22.1(10)&nbsp;μs | IT | ²⁰³Hg | (13/2+) | | |-id=Mercury-203m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^203m2Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 8281.3(5)&nbsp;keV | 146(30)&nbsp;ns | IT | ²⁰³Hg | (53/2+) | | |-id=Mercury-204 | ²⁰⁴Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 124 | 203.9734940(5) | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.0682(4) | |-id=Mercury-204m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^204mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 7226.08(17)&nbsp;keV | ~485&nbsp;ns | IT | ²⁰⁴Hg | 22+ | | |-id=Mercury-205 | ²⁰⁵Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 125 | 204.976073(4) | 5.14(9)&nbsp;min | β^− | ²⁰⁵Tl | 1/2− | | |-id=Mercury-205m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^205m1Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 1556.4(3)&nbsp;keV | 1.09(4)&nbsp;ms | IT | ²⁰⁵Hg | 13/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-205m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^205m2Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 3316.6(8)&nbsp;keV | 5.89(18)&nbsp;μs | IT | ²⁰⁵Hg | (23/2−) | | |-id=Mercury-206 | ²⁰⁶Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 126 | 205.977514(22) | 8.32(7)&nbsp;min | β^− | ²⁰⁶Tl | 0+ | Trace | |-id=Mercury-206m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^206m1Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" |2102.4(3)&nbsp;keV | 2.088(17)&nbsp;μs | IT | ²⁰⁶Hg | 5− | | |-id=Mercury-206m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^206m2Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" |3722.3(10)&nbsp;keV | 106(3)&nbsp;ns | IT | ²⁰⁶Hg | (10+) | | |-id=Mercury-207 | ²⁰⁷Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 127 | 206.98230(3) | 2.9(2)&nbsp;min | β^− | ²⁰⁷Tl | 9/2+ | | |-id=Mercury-208 | ²⁰⁸Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 128 | 207.98576(3) | 135(10)&nbsp;s | β^− | ²⁰⁸Tl | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-208m | style="text-indent:1em" | ^208mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" |1338(24)&nbsp;keV | 99(14)&nbsp;ns | IT | ²⁰⁸Hg | (8+) | | |-id=Mercury-209 | ²⁰⁹Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 129 | 208.99076(16)# | 6.3(11)&nbsp;s | β^− | ²⁰⁹Tl | 9/2+# | | |-id=Mercury-210 | rowspan=2|²¹⁰Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 130 | rowspan=2|209.99431(22)# | rowspan=2|64(12)&nbsp;s | β^− (97.8%) | ²¹⁰Tl | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β^−, n (2.2%) | ²⁰⁹Tl |-id=Mercury-210m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^210m1Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" |663(2)&nbsp;keV | 2.1(7)&nbsp;μs | IT | ²¹⁰Hg | (3−) | | |-id=Mercury-210m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | ^210m2Hg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" |1406(23)&nbsp;keV | 2(1)&nbsp;μs | IT | ²¹⁰Hg | 8+# | | |-id=Mercury-211 | rowspan=2|²¹¹Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 131 | rowspan=2|210.99958(22)# | rowspan=2|26.4(81)&nbsp;s | β^− (93.7%) | ²¹¹Tl | rowspan=2|9/2+# | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β^−, n (6.3%) | ²¹⁰Tl |-id=Mercury-212 | ²¹²Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 132 | 212.00324(32)# | 30#&nbsp;s<br>[>300&nbsp;ns] | | | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-213 | ²¹³Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 133 | 213.00880(32)# | 15#&nbsp;s<br>[>300&nbsp;ns] | | | 9/2+# | | |-id=Mercury-214 | ²¹⁴Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 134 | 214.01264(43)# | 8#&nbsp;s<br>[>300&nbsp;ns] | | | 0+ | | |-id=Mercury-215 | ²¹⁵Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 135 | 215.01837(43)# | 600#&nbsp;ms<br>[>300&nbsp;ns] | | | 9/2+# | | |-id=Mercury-216 | ²¹⁶Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 136 | 216.02246(43)# | 2#&nbsp;s<br>[>300&nbsp;ns] | | | 0+ | |

See also

Daughter products other than mercury

• Isotopes of thallium
• Isotopes of gold
• Isotopes of platinum
• Isotopes of iridium

References