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:
| Atomic Mass ma | Quantity | Half-life | Spin | |
| Sulfur Isotopic mixture | 32,06 u | 100 % | ||
| Isotope 32S | 31,972071174(9) u | 94,9 % | stable | 0+ |
| Isotope 33S | 32,971458910(9) u | 0,7 % | stable | 3/2+ |
| Isotope 34S | 33,9678670(3) u | 4,3 % | stable | 0+ |
| Isotope 35S | 34,96903232(4) u | traces | 87.37(4) d | 3/2+ |
| Isotope 36S | 35,967081(2) u | 0,01 % | stable | 0+ |
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 Nuclide | E | N | Atomic Mass [Nuclear Mass] {Mass Excess} | Spin I (h/2π) | Parent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Sulfur-26 | 2616S | 10 | 26.02907(64) u [26.0202928 u] {27.07853 MeV} | 0+ | |
| Sulfur-27 | 2716S | 11 | 27.01878(43) u [27.0100028 u] {17.49346 MeV} | (5/2+) | |
| Sulfur-28 | 2816S | 12 | 28.00437(17) u [27.9955928 u] {4.07063 MeV} | 0+ | |
| Sulfur-29 | 2916S | 13 | 28.99661(5) u [28.9878328 u] {-3.15776 MeV} | (5/2+) | |
| Sulfur-30 | 3016S | 14 | 29.98490677(22) u [29.9761296 u] {-14.05925 MeV} | 0+ | 31Ar |
| Sulfur-31 | 3116S | 15 | 30.97955701(25) u [30.9707798 u] {-19.04252 MeV} | 1/2+ | 32Ar 31Cl |
| Sulfur-32 | 3216S | 16 | 31.972071174(9) u [31.963294 u] {-26.01553 MeV} | 0+ | 33Ar 32Cl 32P 36K |
| Sulfur-33 | 3316S | 17 | 32.971458910(9) u [32.9626817 u] {-26.58585 MeV} | 3/2+ | 33Cl 33P |
| Sulfur-34 | 3416S | 18 | 33.9678670(3) u [33.9590898 u] {-29.9317 MeV} | 0+ | 34Cl 34P |
| Sulfur-35 | 3516S | 19 | 34.96903232(4) u [34.9602552 u] {-28.84621 MeV} | 3/2+ | 35P |
| Sulfur-36 | 3616S | 20 | 35.967081(2) u [35.9583038 u] {-30.66385 MeV} | 0+ | 36P 36Cl |
| Sulfur-37 | 3716S | 21 | 36.97112550(21) u [36.9623483 u] {-26.89642 MeV} | 7/2- | 37P 38P |
| Sulfur-38 | 3816S | 22 | 37.971163(8) u [37.9623858 u] {-26.86149 MeV} | 0+ | 38P 39P |
| Sulfur-39 | 3916S | 23 | 38.97513(5) u [38.9663528 u] {-23.16626 MeV} | (7/2)- | 39P 40P |
| Sulfur-40 | 4016S | 24 | 39.975483(4) u [39.9667058 u] {-22.83744 MeV} | 0+ | 40P 41P |
| Sulfur-41 | 4116S | 25 | 40.979593(4) u [40.9708158 u] {-19.009 MeV} | (7/2-) | 41P 42P |
| Sulfur-42 | 4216S | 26 | 41.981065(3) u [41.9722878 u] {-17.63784 MeV} | 0+ | 42P 43P |
| Sulfur-43 | 4316S | 27 | 42.986908(5) u [42.9781308 u] {-12.19512 MeV} | (3/2-) | |
| Sulfur-43m | 43m16S | 27 | 42.986908(5) u [42.9781308 u] {-12.19512 MeV} | (7/2-) | |
| Sulfur-44 | 4416S | 28 | 43.990119(6) u [43.9813418 u] {-9.20409 MeV} | 0+ | |
| Sulfur-44m | 44m16S | 28 | 43.990119(6) u [43.9813418 u] {-9.20409 MeV} | 0+ | |
| Sulfur-45 | 4516S | 29 | 44.99572(111) u [44.9869428 u] {-3.98679 MeV} | 3/2- | |
| Sulfur-46 | 4616S | 30 | 46.00037(54) u [45.9915928 u] {0.34465 MeV} | 0+ | |
| Sulfur-47 | 4716S | 31 | |||
| Sulfur-48 | 4816S | 32 | 48.01370(64) u [48.0049228 u] {12.76147 MeV} | 0+ | |
| Sulfur-49 | 4916S | 33 | 49.02264(72) u [49.0138628 u] {21.08902 MeV} | 3/2- |
| Isotope | Radioactive Decay | Extern | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-life | Decay Mode | Probability | Energy | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| S-26 | 79 ns | p ? | 27.079 MeV | AL | |
| S-27 | 15.5(15) ms | EC/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-28 | 125(10) ms | EC/β+ → 28P ε, p → 27Si | 79.3(20) % 20.7(20) % | 11.222 MeV 9.169 MeV | AL |
| S-29 | 188(4) ms | EC/β+ → 29P ε, p → 28Si | 53(5) % 47(5) % | 13.79550 MeV 11.044 MeV | AL |
| S-30 | 1.178(5) s | EC/β+ → 30P | 100 % | 6.13824 MeV | AL |
| S-31 | 2.5534(18) s | EC/β+ → 31P | 100 % | 5.39752 MeV | AL |
| S-32 | stable | AL | |||
| S-33 | stable | AL | |||
| S-34 | stable | AL | |||
| S-35 | 87.37(4) d | β- → 35Cl | 100 % | 0.167322(26) MeV | AL |
| S-36 | stable | AL | |||
| S-37 | 5.05(2) min | β- → 37Cl | 100 % | 4.86513(20) MeV | AL |
| S-38 | 170.3(7) min | β- → 38Cl | 100 % | 2.93690 MeV | AL |
| S-39 | 11.5(5) s | β- → 39Cl | 100 % | 6.63788 MeV | AL |
| S-40 | 8.8(22) s | β- → 40Cl | 100 % | 4.62747 MeV | AL |
| S-41 | 1.99(5) s | β- → 41Cl β-, n → 40Cl | 8.21844 MeV 0.3978 MeV | AL | |
| S-42 | 1.016(15) s | β- → 42Cl β-, n → 41Cl | > 96 % < 4 % | 7.23549 MeV | AL |
| S-43 | 265(15) ms | β- → 43Cl β-, n → 42Cl | 60(10) % 40(10) % | 11.96(6) MeV 4.56(6) MeV | AL |
| S-43m | 415(5) ns | Iso → 43S | 100 % | ||
| S-44 | 100(1) ms | β- → 44Cl β-, n → 43Cl | 82(3) % 18(3) % | 11.5054 MeV 7.23707 MeV | AL |
| S-44m | 2.619(26) μs | ||||
| S-45 | 68(2) ms | β- → 45Cl β-, n → 44Cl | 46 % 54 % | 14.37016 MeV 8.54427 MeV | AL |
| S-46 | 50(8) ms | β- → 46Cl | 100 % | 14.20(54) MeV | AL |
| S-47 | 20 ms | β- 47Cl β-, n,2n,3n ? | AL | ||
| S-48 | 200 ns | β- ? 48Cl | AL | ||
| S-49 | β- 49Cl | AL | |||
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.
| 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)} | 3,2717 | 0,00227 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.
According to the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV 2018, Germany), the following values (columns 1 to 7) apply to the handling of Sulfur radionuclides:
| Nuclide | Limit Value | HASS limit | SC | Daughter Nuclides | Half-life | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-35 | 108 Bq | 100 Bq/g | 60 TBq | 100 Bq/cm2 | 87.3 d | |
(HASS = High-Activity Sealed Radioactive Sources; SC = surface contamination)
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.
Last update: 2022-12-12
Perma link: https://www.chemlin.org/chemical-elements/sulfur-isotopes.php
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