Hobbies And Interests
Flares and Fireworks
Strontium is commonly used in flares and fireworks to produce an intense crimson color. Strontium carbonate and nitrate are powdered and packed into their cases to be burned with a combination of other chemicals to produce the desired effect. In its pure form, powdered strontium is combustible enough to ignite without flame, making it a valuable pyrotechnic ingredient.
Cathode Ray Tubes
The majority of strontium produced today is used in the television industry. Strontium is a critical component for the manufacture of cathode ray tubes (CRT), which produce a television's picture. Production of televisions containing cathode ray tubes has been rapidly decreasing due to their bulk, potential toxicity, and falling prices of competing television technologies.
Toothpastes
Strontium chloride is the active ingredient in many brands of toothpaste made for sensitive teeth. Strontium chloride works by acting as a barrier that protects nerve endings in teeth from rapid temperature changes. This barrier is formed when strontium chloride is deposited into microscopic holes in a tooth's layer of dentin.
Radiation
Strontium is easily irradiated and can naturally be found in several isotopes. The most dangerous of these isotopes is strontium-90, which is often found after nuclear explosions. Strontium-90 is chemically similar to calcium and readily absorbed by the body into the skeletal system. Once absorbed into bone, strontium-90 affects the production of red blood cells. It has a half-life of 29 years, which means half of it decays in the environment in 29 years, and half of the remaining amount decays in 14.5 years, and so on. Exposure to strontium-90 is linked to bone cancer and leukemia, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.