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Isotopes of Sulfur

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

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

A total of 25 different isotopes of the chemical element sulfur (sulphur) are known, of which 4 occur in nature as stable nuclides and traces of the unstable 35S:

 

Naturally Occurring Sulfur Isotopes

Atomic Mass maQuantityHalf-lifeSpin
Sulfur
Isotopic mixture		32,06 u100 %
Isotope 32S31,972071174(9) u94,9 %stable0+
Isotope 33S32,971458910(9) u0,7 %stable3/2+
Isotope 34S33,9678670(3) u4,3 %stable0+
Isotope 35S34,96903232(4) utraces87.37(4) d3/2+
Isotope 36S35,967081(2) u0,01 %stable0+

 

Due to the fluctuations in the isotopic composition of natural sulfur, the atomic mass varies between 32.059 and 32.076 u.

The high proportion of the sulfur isotope 32 is due to nucleogenesis during the alpha process in exploding type II supernovae, producing large amounts Sulfur-32 are formed from carbon-12 and 5 helium nuclei.

The radioisotopes of sulfur have half-lives of 87 days (35S) over 170 minutes (38S) down to the millisecond range. The longest-lived radioactive sulfur nuclide 35 is formed by the action of cosmic rays on argon-40 atoms in the atmosphere.

 

Isotope Table: Sulfur

The two following tables list the most important data and properties of the Sulfur isotopes. Further information on the individual Sulfur 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
Sulfur-262616S1026.02907(64) u
[26.0202928 u]
{27.07853 MeV}		0+
Sulfur-272716S1127.01878(43) u
[27.0100028 u]
{17.49346 MeV}		(5/2+)
Sulfur-282816S1228.00437(17) u
[27.9955928 u]
{4.07063 MeV}		0+
Sulfur-292916S1328.99661(5) u
[28.9878328 u]
{-3.15776 MeV}		(5/2+)
Sulfur-303016S1429.98490677(22) u
[29.9761296 u]
{-14.05925 MeV}		0+31Ar
Sulfur-313116S1530.97955701(25) u
[30.9707798 u]
{-19.04252 MeV}		1/2+32Ar
31Cl
Sulfur-323216S1631.972071174(9) u
[31.963294 u]
{-26.01553 MeV}		0+33Ar
32Cl
32P
36K
Sulfur-333316S1732.971458910(9) u
[32.9626817 u]
{-26.58585 MeV}		3/2+33Cl
33P
Sulfur-343416S1833.9678670(3) u
[33.9590898 u]
{-29.9317 MeV}		0+34Cl
34P
Sulfur-353516S1934.96903232(4) u
[34.9602552 u]
{-28.84621 MeV}		3/2+35P
Sulfur-363616S2035.967081(2) u
[35.9583038 u]
{-30.66385 MeV}		0+36P
36Cl
Sulfur-373716S2136.97112550(21) u
[36.9623483 u]
{-26.89642 MeV}		7/2-37P
38P
Sulfur-383816S2237.971163(8) u
[37.9623858 u]
{-26.86149 MeV}		0+38P
39P
Sulfur-393916S2338.97513(5) u
[38.9663528 u]
{-23.16626 MeV}		(7/2)-39P
40P
Sulfur-404016S2439.975483(4) u
[39.9667058 u]
{-22.83744 MeV}		0+40P
41P
Sulfur-414116S2540.979593(4) u
[40.9708158 u]
{-19.009 MeV}		(7/2-)41P
42P
Sulfur-424216S2641.981065(3) u
[41.9722878 u]
{-17.63784 MeV}		0+42P
43P
Sulfur-434316S2742.986908(5) u
[42.9781308 u]
{-12.19512 MeV}		(3/2-)
Sulfur-43m43m16S2742.986908(5) u
[42.9781308 u]
{-12.19512 MeV}		(7/2-)
Sulfur-444416S2843.990119(6) u
[43.9813418 u]
{-9.20409 MeV}		0+
Sulfur-44m44m16S2843.990119(6) u
[43.9813418 u]
{-9.20409 MeV}		0+
Sulfur-454516S2944.99572(111) u
[44.9869428 u]
{-3.98679 MeV}		3/2-
Sulfur-464616S3046.00037(54) u
[45.9915928 u]
{0.34465 MeV}		0+
Sulfur-474716S31
Sulfur-484816S3248.01370(64) u
[48.0049228 u]
{12.76147 MeV}		0+
Sulfur-494916S3349.02264(72) u
[49.0138628 u]
{21.08902 MeV}		3/2-

 

Radioactive Decay Properties

IsotopeRadioactive DecayExtern
Half-lifeDecay ModeProbabilityEnergy
789101112
S-2679 nsp ? 27.079 MeVAL
S-2715.5(15) msEC/β+ → 27P
β+, p → 26Si
β+, 2p → 25Al		96.6 %
2.3(9) %
1.1(5) %		18.260 MeV
11.881 MeV
17.399 MeV		AL
S-28125(10) msEC/β+ → 28P
ε, p → 27Si		79.3(20) %
20.7(20) %		11.222 MeV
9.169 MeV		AL
S-29188(4) msEC/β+ → 29P
ε, p → 28Si		53(5) %
47(5) %		13.79550 MeV
11.044 MeV		AL
S-301.178(5) sEC/β+ → 30P100 %6.13824 MeVAL
S-312.5534(18) sEC/β+ → 31P100 %5.39752 MeVAL
S-32stableAL
S-33stableAL
S-34stableAL
S-3587.37(4) dβ- → 35Cl100 %0.167322(26) MeVAL
S-36stableAL
S-375.05(2) minβ- → 37Cl100 %4.86513(20) MeVAL
S-38170.3(7) minβ- → 38Cl100 %2.93690 MeVAL
S-3911.5(5) sβ- → 39Cl100 %6.63788 MeVAL
S-408.8(22) sβ- → 40Cl100 %4.62747 MeVAL
S-411.99(5) sβ- → 41Cl
β-, n → 40Cl
8.21844 MeV
0.3978 MeV		AL
S-421.016(15) sβ- → 42Cl
β-, n → 41Cl		> 96 %
< 4 %		7.23549 MeV
AL
S-43265(15) msβ- → 43Cl
β-, n → 42Cl		60(10) %
40(10) %		11.96(6) MeV
4.56(6) MeV		AL
S-43m415(5) nsIso → 43S100 %
S-44100(1) msβ- → 44Cl
β-, n → 43Cl		82(3) %
18(3) %		11.5054 MeV
7.23707 MeV		AL
S-44m2.619(26) μs
S-4568(2) msβ- → 45Cl
β-, n → 44Cl		46 %
54 %		14.37016 MeV
8.54427 MeV		AL
S-4650(8) msβ- → 46Cl100 %14.20(54) MeVAL
S-4720 msβ- 47Cl
β-, n,2n,3n ?

AL
S-48200 nsβ- ? 48ClAL
S-49β- 49ClAL

 

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 Sulfur 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 Sulfur 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 Sulfur 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)
33S
0,7 %
3/2+		+0,64325(2)2,055
{- 0,0694(4)}		3,27170,00227
0,3842
35S
Spuren
3/2+		(+) 1,00(4)
{+ 0,0483(3)}

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 Sulfur radionuclides:

NuclideLimit ValueHASS limitSCDaughter NuclidesHalf-life
S-35108 Bq100 Bq/g60 TBq100 Bq/cm287.3 d

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

 

Literature Sources and References

Properties of the Sulfur 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.

Sulfur: NMR properties - 33S-NMR, 35S-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.

 

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Last update: 2022-12-12

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