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Isotopes of Bismuth

List, data and properties of all known isotopes of Bismuth.

Content
Atomic properties
Decay properties
NMR active nuclides
Radiation protection
References
Bismuth isotopes

All atomic nuclei of the chemical element bismuth are summarized under bismuth isotopes; these all consist of an atomic nucleus with 83 protons and, in the uncharged state, 83 electrons. The difference between each bismuth isotope is based on the number of neutrons in the nucleus.

Bismuth has no stable isotopes. The almost 100% naturally occurring bismuth isotope 209 is slightly radioactive and decays to thallium-205 by emitting alpha particles with a half-life of 19 trillion years and an activity of 0.0033 Bq/kg.

In addition to the nuclide 209, a number of other bismuth isotopes occur in nature, but only in small traces: Bi-210, 211, 212, 214 and 215. Other isotopes have long half-lives without being found in nature : Bi-210m (3 million years), Bi-208 (368000 years), Bi-207 (33 years).

 

Isotope Table: Bismuth

The two following tables list the most important data and properties of the Bismuth isotopes. Further information on the individual Bismuth isotopes is listed on separate pages and can be accessed via the link in column 1.

 

Atomic Properties

Isotope
Nuclide		ENAtomic Mass
[Nuclear Mass]
{Mass Excess}		Spin I
(h/2π)		Parent
123456
Bismuth-18418483Bi101184.00114(8) u
[183.9556131 u]
{1.0619 MeV}
Bismuth-18518583Bi102184.99760(9) u
[184.9520731 u]
{-2.23559 MeV}		1/2+
Bismuth-18618683Bi103185.996622(18) u
[185.9510951 u]
{-3.14659 MeV}		(3+)
Bismuth-186m186m83Bi103185.996622(18) u
[185.9510951 u]
{-3.14659 MeV}		(10-)
Bismuth-18718783Bi104186.993147(11) u
[186.9476201 u]
{-6.38353 MeV}		(9/2-)
Bismuth-187m1187m183Bi104186.993147(11) u
[186.9476201 u]
{-6.38353 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-187m2187m283Bi104186.993147(11) u
[186.9476201 u]
{-6.38353 MeV}		(13/2+)
Bismuth-18818883Bi105187.992276(12) u
[187.9467491 u]
{-7.19486 MeV}		(3+)
Bismuth-18918983Bi106188.989195(22) u
[188.9436681 u]
{-10.06479 MeV}		(9/2-)193At
Bismuth-189m1189m183Bi106188.989195(22) u
[188.9436681 u]
{-10.06479 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-189m2189m283Bi106188.989195(22) u
[188.9436681 u]
{-10.06479 MeV}		(13/2+)
Bismuth-19019083Bi107189.988621(24) u
[189.9430941 u]
{-10.59947 MeV}		(3+)194At
Bismuth-19119183Bi108190.985787(8) u
[190.9402601 u]
{-13.23932 MeV}		(9/2-)195At
Bismuth-191m1191m183Bi108190.985787(8) u
[190.9402601 u]
{-13.23932 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-191m2191m283Bi108190.985787(8) u
[190.9402601 u]
{-13.23932 MeV}		(13/2+)
Bismuth-19219283Bi109191.98547(3) u
[191.9399431 u]
{-13.53461 MeV}		(3+)196At
Bismuth-192m192m83Bi109191.98547(3) u
[191.9399431 u]
{-13.53461 MeV}		(10-)
Bismuth-19319383Bi110192.982947(8) u
[192.9374201 u]
{-15.88477 MeV}		(9/2-)197At
Bismuth-193m193m83Bi110192.982947(8) u
[192.9374201 u]
{-15.88477 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-193m2193m283Bi110192.982947(8) u
[192.9374201 u]
{-15.88477 MeV}		13/2+
Bismuth-193m3193m383Bi110192.982947(8) u
[192.9374201 u]
{-15.88477 MeV}		29/2+
Bismuth-19419483Bi111193.982792(7) u
[193.9372651 u]
{-16.02915 MeV}		(3+)198At
Bismuth-194m1194m183Bi111193.982792(7) u
[193.9372651 u]
{-16.02915 MeV}		(10-)
Bismuth-194m2194m283Bi111193.982792(7) u
[193.9372651 u]
{-16.02915 MeV}		(6+,7+)
Bismuth-19519583Bi112194.980649(6) u
[194.9351221 u]
{-18.02534 MeV}		(9/2-)199At
Bismuth-195m195m83Bi112194.980649(6) u
[194.9351221 u]
{-18.02534 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-19619683Bi113195.980667(26) u
[195.9351401 u]
{-18.00857 MeV}		(3+)200At
Bismuth-196m1196m183Bi113195.980667(26) u
[195.9351401 u]
{-18.00857 MeV}		(7+)
Bismuth-196m2196m283Bi113195.980667(26) u
[195.9351401 u]
{-18.00857 MeV}		(10-)
Bismuth-19719783Bi114196.978865(9) u
[196.9333381 u]
{-19.68713 MeV}		(9/2-)201At
197Po
Bismuth-197m197m83Bi114196.978865(9) u
[196.9333381 u]
{-19.68713 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-19819883Bi115197.97921(3) u
[197.9336831 u]
{-19.36576 MeV}		(2+,3+)202At
Bismuth-198m1198m183Bi115197.97921(3) u
[197.9336831 u]
{-19.36576 MeV}		7+
Bismuth-198m2198m283Bi115197.97921(3) u
[197.9336831 u]
{-19.36576 MeV}		10-
Bismuth-19919983Bi116198.977673(11) u
[198.9321461 u]
{-20.79747 MeV}		9/2-203At
199Po
Bismuth-199m199m83Bi116198.977673(11) u
[198.9321461 u]
{-20.79747 MeV}		(1/2+)
Bismuth-20020083Bi117199.978131(24) u
[199.9326041 u]
{-20.37084 MeV}		7+204At
200Po
Bismuth-200m1200m183Bi117199.978131(24) u
[199.9326041 u]
{-20.37084 MeV}		(2+)
Bismuth-200m2200m283Bi117199.978131(24) u
[199.9326041 u]
{-20.37084 MeV}		(10-)
Bismuth-20120183Bi118200.977009(16) u
[200.9314821 u]
{-21.41598 MeV}		9/2-205At
201Po
Bismuth-201m201m83Bi118200.977009(16) u
[200.9314821 u]
{-21.41598 MeV}		1/2+
Bismuth-20220283Bi119201.977733(17) u
[201.9322061 u]
{-20.74158 MeV}		5+206At
202Po
Bismuth-20320383Bi120202.976892(14) u
[202.9313651 u]
{-21.52496 MeV}		9/2-207At
203Po
Bismuth-203m203m83Bi120202.976892(14) u
[202.9313651 u]
{-21.52496 MeV}		1/2+
Bismuth-20420483Bi121203.977836(10) u
[203.9323091 u]
{-20.64563 MeV}		6+208At
204Po
Bismuth-204m1204m183Bi121203.977836(10) u
[203.9323091 u]
{-20.64563 MeV}		10-
Bismuth-204m2204m283Bi121203.977836(10) u
[203.9323091 u]
{-20.64563 MeV}		17+
Bismuth-20520583Bi122204.977385(5) u
[204.9318581 u]
{-21.06574 MeV}		9/2-209At
205Po
Bismuth-20620683Bi123205.978499(8) u
[205.9329721 u]
{-20.02805 MeV}		6+210At
206Po
Bismuth-206m206m83Bi123205.978499(8) u
[205.9329721 u]
{-20.02805 MeV}		10-
Bismuth-20720783Bi124206.9784705(26) u
[206.9329436 u]
{-20.0546 MeV}		9/2-211At
207Po
Bismuth-207m207m83Bi124206.9784705(26) u
[206.9329436 u]
{-20.0546 MeV}		21/2+
Bismuth-20820883Bi125207.9797420(25) u
[207.9342151 u]
{-18.87021 MeV}		5+212At
208Po
Bismuth-208m208m83Bi125207.9797420(25) u
[207.9342151 u]
{-18.87021 MeV}		10-
Bismuth-20920983Bi126208.9803985(15) u
[208.9348716 u]
{-18.25868 MeV}		9/2-213At
209Po
209Pb
Bismuth-21021083Bi127209.9841202(15) u
[209.9385933 u]
{-14.79194 MeV}		1-214At
210Pb
Bismuth-210m210m83Bi127209.9841202(15) u
[209.9385933 u]
{-14.79194 MeV}		9-
Bismuth-21121183Bi128210.987269(6) u
[210.9417421 u]
{-11.85885 MeV}		9/2-215At
211Pb
Bismuth-211m211m83Bi128210.987269(6) u
[210.9417421 u]
{-11.85885 MeV}		(25/2-)
Bismuth-21221283Bi129211.991285(2) u
[211.9457581 u]
{-8.11797 MeV}		1(-)216At
212Pb
Bismuth-212m1212m183Bi129211.991285(2) u
[211.9457581 u]
{-8.11797 MeV}		(8-,9-)
Bismuth-212m2212m283Bi129211.991285(2) u
[211.9457581 u]
{-8.11797 MeV}
Bismuth-21321383Bi130212.994384(5) u
[212.9488571 u]
{-5.23127 MeV}		9/2-217At
Bismuth-21421483Bi131213.998711(12) u
[213.9531841 u]
{-1.2007 MeV}		1-218At
214Pb
Bismuth-21521583Bi132215.001749(6) u
[214.9562221 u]
{1.62918 MeV}		(9/2-)219At
Bismuth-215m215m83Bi132215.001749(6) u
[214.9562221 u]
{1.62918 MeV}		(25/2-)
Bismuth-21621683Bi133216.006306(12) u
[215.9607791 u]
{5.874 MeV}		(6-,7-)220At
Bismuth-21721783Bi134217.009372(19) u
[216.9638451 u]
{8.72996 MeV}		(9/2-)
Bismuth-217m217m83Bi134217.009372(19) u
[216.9638451 u]
{8.72996 MeV}		(25/2-)
Bismuth-21821883Bi135218.014188(29) u
[217.9686611 u]
{13.21604 MeV}
Bismuth-21921983Bi136219.01748(21) u
[218.9719531 u]
{16.28252 MeV}
Bismuth-22022083Bi137220.02235(32) u
[219.9768231 u]
{20.81889 MeV}
Bismuth-22122183Bi138221.02587(32) u
[220.9803431 u]
{24.09775 MeV}
Bismuth-22222283Bi139222.03084(32) u
[221.9853131 u]
{28.72727 MeV}
Bismuth-22322383Bi140223.03450(43) u
[222.9889731 u]
{32.13654 MeV}
Bismuth-22422483Bi141224.03954(43) u
[223.9940131 u]
{36.83127 MeV}

 

Radioactive Decay Properties

IsotopeRadioactive DecayExtern
Half-lifeDecay ModeProbabilityEnergy
789101112
Bi-18413(2) msα → 180Tl100 %8.02(5) MeVAL
Bi-18558(4) μsα → 181Tl
p → 184Pb		10(2) %
90(2) %		8.14(8) MeV
AL
Bi-18615.0(17) msα → 182Tl100 %7.757(12) MeVAL
Bi-186m9.8(13) msα → 182Tl100 %AL
Bi-18737(2) msα → 183Tl100 %7.779(4) MeVAL
Bi-187m10.370(20) msα → 183Tl100 %AL
Bi-187m23.2 μs
Bi-18860(3) msα → 184Tl~100 %7.264(5) MeVAL
Bi-189688(5) msα → 185Tl~100 %7.2682(27) MeVAL
Bi-189m15.0(1) msα → 185Tl
Iso → 189Bi		83(5) %
17(5) %
AL
Bi-189m20.88(5) msIso → 189Bi100 %AL
Bi-1906.3(1) sα → 186Tl
EC/β+ → 190Pb		ca. 90 %
ca. 10 %		6.862(3) MeV
9.817(26) MeV		AL
Bi-19112.4(3) sα → 187Tl
EC/β+ → 191Pb		51(10) %
49(10) %		6.78(3) MeV
6.99(4) MeV		AL
Bi-191m1125(13) msα → 187Tl
EC/β+ → 191Pb
Iso → 191Bi		68(5) %
?
32(5) %

AL
Bi-191m2562(10) nsIso → 1191Bi100 %
Bi-19234.6(9) sα → 188Tl
EC/β+ → 192Pb		12(5) %
88(5) %		6.377(4) MeV
9.02(3) MeV		AL
Bi-192m39.6(4) sα → 188Tl
EC/β+ → 192Pb		10(3) %
90(3) %
AL
Bi-19363.6(30) sα → 189Tl
EC/β+ → 193Pb		3.5(15) %
96.5(15) %		6.307(5) MeV
6.31(5) MeV		AL
Bi-193m3.12(26) sα → 189Tl
EC/β+ → 193Pb		84(16) %
16(16) %
AL
Bi-193m2153(10) nsIso → 193Bi100 %
Bi-193m385(3) μsIso → 193Bi100 %
Bi-19495(3) sα → 190Tl
EC/β+ → 194Pb		0.46(25) %
99.54(25) %		5.918(5) MeV
8.179(18) MeV		AL
Bi-194m1115(4) sα → 190Tl
EC/β+ → 194Pb		0.20(7) %
99.80(7) %
AL
Bi-194m2125(2) sEC/β+ → 194Pb100 %AL
Bi-195183(4) sα → 191Tl
EC/β+ → 195Pb		0.03(2) %
99.97(2) %		5.832(5) MeV
5.682(19) MeV		AL
Bi-195m87(1) sα → 191Tl
EC/β+ → 195Pb		33(17) %
67(17) %
AL
Bi-196308(12) sα → 192Tl
EC/β+ → 196Pb		0.00115(34) %
> 99.99 %		5.438 MeV
7.339(26) MeV		AL
Bi-196m10.6(5) sIso → 196Bi
EC/β+ → 196Pb		?
?
AL
Bi-196m2240(3) sIso → 196Bi
EC/β+ → 196Pb
α → 192Tl		25.8(25) %
74.2(25) %
0.00038(10) %

AL
Bi-1979.33(50) minα → 193Tl
EC/β+ → 197Pb		Spuren
> 99.999 %		5.365(11) MeV
5.058(10) MeV		AL
Bi-197m5.04(16) minα → 193Tl
EC/β+ → 197Pb
Iso → 197Bi		55(40) %
45(40) %
< 0.3 %

AL
Bi-19810.3(3) minEC/β+ → 198Pb100 %6.698(29) MeVAL
Bi-198m111.6(3) minEC/β+ → 198Pb100 %AL
Bi-198m27.7(5) sIso → 198Bi100 %AL
Bi-19927(1) minEC/β+ → 199Pb100 %4.434(15) MeVAL
Bi-199m24.70(15) minEC/β+ → 199Pb
α → 195Tl
Iso → 199Bi		99(1) %
ca. 0.01 %
≤ 2 %

AL
Bi-20036.4(5) minEC/β+ → 200Pb100 %5.880(25) MeVAL
Bi-200m131(2) minEC/β+ → 200Pb≤ 100 %AL
Bi-200m20.40(5) sIso → 200Bi100 %AL
Bi-201103(3) minEC/β+ → 201Pb100 %3.855(20) MeVAL
Bi-201m57.5(21) minEC/β+ → 201Pb
α → 197Tl
Iso → 201Bi		≥ 91.1 %
ca. 0.3 %
≤ 8.6 %

AL
Bi-2021.71(4) hEC/β+ → 202Pb100 %5.199(16) MeVAL
Bi-20311.76(5) hEC/β+ → 203Pb100 %3.262(14) MeVAL
Bi-203m305(5) msIso → 203Bi100 %AL
Bi-20411.22(10) hEC/β+ → 204Pb100 %4.464(9) MeVAL
Bi-204m113.0(1) msIso → 204Bi100 %AL
Bi-204m21.07(3) msIso → 204Bi100 %AL
Bi-20514.91(7) dEC/β+ → 205Pb100 %2.705(5) MeVAL
Bi-2066.243(3) dEC/β+ → 206Pb100 %3.757(8) MeVAL
Bi-206m0.89(1) msIso → 206Bi100 %AL
Bi-20731.55(4) aEC/β+ → 207Pb100 %2.3974(26) MeVAL
Bi-207m182(6) μsIso → 207Bi100 %
Bi-2083.68(4) × 105 aEC/β+ → 208Pb100 %2.8784(26) MeVAL
Bi-208m2.58(4) msIso → 208Bi100 %AL
Bi-2092.01(8) × 1019 aα → 205Tl100 %3.1373(8) MeVAL
Bi-2105.012(5) dβ- → 210Po
α → 206Tl		100 %
Spuren		1.1612(8) MeV
5.0365(8) MeV		AL
Bi-210m3.04(6) × 106 aα → 210Tl100 %AL
Bi-2112.14(2) minβ- → 211Po
α → 207Tl		0.276(4) %
99.724(4) %		0.573(5) MeV
6.7504(5) MeV		AL
Bi-211m1.4(3) μsIso → 211Bi100 %
Bi-21260.55(6) minβ- → 212Po
α → 208Tl		64.06(6) %
35.94(6) %		2.2515(17) MeV
6.20726(3) MeV		AL
Bi-212m125.0(2) minβ- → 212Po
α → 208Tl
β-, α → 208Pb		33(1) %
67(1) %
30(1) %

AL
Bi-212m27.0(3) minβ- → 212Poca. 100 %AL
Bi-21345.59(6) minβ- → 213Po
α → 209Tl		97.80(10) %
2.20(10) %		1.422(5) MeV
5.988(3) MeV		AL
Bi-21419.71(2) minβ- → 214Po
α → 210Tl
β-, α → 210Pb		99.9790(13) %
0.0210(13) %
0.003 %		3.269(11) MeV
5.621(3) MeV
AL
Bi-2157.6(2) minβ- → 215Po100 %2.171(6) MeVAL
Bi-215m36.9(6) sβ- → 215Po
Iso → 215Bi		23.1(5) %
76.9(5) %
AL
Bi-2162.25(5) minβ- → 216Po≤ 100 %4.092(11) MeVAL
Bi-21798.5(13) sβ- → 217Po100 %2.846(19) MeVAL
Bi-217m3.0(2) μsIso → 217Bi100 %
Bi-21833(1) sβ- → 218Po100 %4.859(27) MeVAL
Bi-21922(7) sβ- → 219Po?3.60(20) MeVAL
Bi-220300 nsβ- → 220Po?5.55(30) MeVAL
Bi-221> 300 nsβ- → 221Po
β-, n → 220Po		?
?		4.32(30) MeV
0.76(30) MeV		AL
Bi-222300 nsβ- → 222Po
β-, n → 221Po		?
?		6.24(30) MeV
0.88(30) MeV
Bi-223300 nsβ- → 223Po
β-, n → 222Po		?
?		5.06(45) MeV
1.58(49) MeV
Bi-224300 nsβ- → 224Po
β-, n → 223Po		?
?		6.92(44) MeV
1.68(44) MeV

 

Notes (related to the columns):

1 - name of the nuclide, isotope.
2 - E: isotope symbol with mass number (superscript; number of nucleons) and Atomic number (subscript; number of protons).
3 - N: number of neutrons.
4 - relative atomic mass of the Bismuth isotope (isotopic mass including electrons) and the mass of the atomic nucleus in square brackets (nuclear mass, nuclide mass without electrons), each related to 12C = 12.00000 [2]. In addition, the mass excess is given in MeV.
5 - nuclear spin I, unit: h/2π.
6 - source nuclides: Possible, assumed or actual source nuclides (mother nuclides, parent nuclides). If applicable, the corresponding decay modes can be found in the data for the respective starting nuclide.

7 - isotope notation in short form.
8 - decay: half-live of the Bismuth isotope (a = years; ; d = days; h = hours; min = minutes; s = seconds).
9 - decay mode: type of decay into the respective daughter nuclides with n = neutron emission; p = proton emission; α = alpha decay; β- = beta minus decay with electron emission; EC = electron capture; β+ = positron emission; ε = β+ and/or EC; Iso = isomeric transition; CD = cluster decay; SF = spontaneous decay.
10 - decay probability in percent (%).
11 - decay energy; Particle energy related to decay type.
12 - other information and notes: AL = Adopted Levels (link to external data [1]).

Miscellaneous:

()- Numbers in brackets: uncertainty to represent the spread of the reported value.
~ - Theoretical values or systematic trends.
  - unlisted-: Nuclides that have already been mentioned in the literature but for some reason can no longer be found in the current nuclide tables because their discovery e.g. has not confirmed.

 

NMR active Bismuth nuclides

Nuclide
quantity 1)
spin		Nuclear
magnetic
moment
μ/μN		Gyromagnetic ratio
{Quadrupole moment}		Resonant
frequency
v0 bei 1 T		Relative
sensitivity
H0 = const.
v0 = const. 3)
209Bi
100 %
9/2-		+ 4,1106(2)4,3752
{-0,516(15)}		6,96300,14433
5,3968

1) Quantity Percentage of natural occurrence.

2) Gyromagnetic ratio: 107 rad T-1 s-1
    Quadrupole moment: Q [barn] = [100 fm2]

3) Related to 1H = 1,000.

 

Radiation Protection

According to the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV 2018, Germany), the following values (columns 1 to 7) apply to the handling of Bismuth radionuclides:

NuclideLimit ValueHASS limitSCDaughter NuclidesHalf-life
Bi-200106 Bq10 Bq/g36.4 min
Bi-201+106 Bq10 Bq/g1.8 h
Bi-202106 Bq10 Bq/g1.7 h
Bi-203+106 Bq10 Bq/g11.8 h
Bi-205+106 Bq10 Bq/g15.3 d
Bi-206105 Bq1 Bq/g0,02 TBq1 Bq cm-26.2 d
Bi-207106 Bq0,1 Bq/g0,05 TBq1 Bq cm-231.8 a
Bi-210106 Bq1000 Bq/g8 TBq100 Bq cm-25.0 d
Bi-210m+105 Bq0,1 Bq/g0,3 TBq3000000 a
Bi-212+10510 Bq/g0,05 TBq1 Bq cm-260.5 min
Bi-212+105 Bq10 Bq/g7 × 109 Bq1 Bq/cm2Tl-208, Po-21260.6 min
Bi-213+106 Bq100 Bq/g45.6 min
Bi-214+105 Bq10 Bq/g19.9 min

(HASS = High-Activity Sealed Radioactive Sources; SC = surface contamination)

 

Literature Sources and References

Properties of the Bismuth nucleides

[1] - NuDat: National Nuclear Data Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, based on ENSDF and the Nuclear Wallet Cards.

[2] - G. Audi et. al.: The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties. Nuclear Physics, (2003), DOI 10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001.

[3] - Live Chart of Nuclides. Nuclear structure and decay data.

Bismuth: NMR properties - 209Bi-NMR

[4] - N. J. Stone: Table of nuclear magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments. Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables, (2005), DOI 10.1016/j.adt.2005.04.001.

[5] - Pekka Pyykkö: Year-2008 nuclear quadrupole moments. Molecular Physics, (2008), DOI 10.1080/00268970802018367.

[6] - Pekka Pyykkö: Year-2017 nuclear quadrupole moments. Molecular Physics, (2018), DOI 10.1080/00268976.2018.1426131.

[7] - N. J. Stone: Table of recommended nuclear magnetic dipole moments. IAEA, (2019).

More sources:

[8] - Isotopic abundances, atomic weights and isotopic masses: see respective keyword.

[9] - Pierre de Marcillac, Noël Coron, Gérard Dambier, Jacques Leblanc, Jean-Pierre Moalic:
Experimental detection of α-particles from the radioactive decay of natural bismuth.
In: Nature, (2003), DOI 10.1038/nature01541.

[10] - C. Fry, M. Thoennessen:
Discovery of the thallium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes.
In: Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables, (2013), DOI 10.1016/j.adt.2012.01.005.

 

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