Is it likely we have few atoms of every element in our bodies?

Whilst looking at my collection of elements at home, I go to thinking...is it likely that we would find at least a few atoms of every natural element in our bodies?

Forget silicon etc...I'm thinking Dysprosium or Thallium etc..

I know Thallium is exceptionally poisonous but could you find trace amount in me"

Uranium is fairly common so I would not surprised, how about a few atoms of Pu? We have micro dots of Pu in the smoke detectors in Europe as far as I know (yanks use Am), so maybe?

Some of the elements only stay cohesive for picoseconds after being slammed together with a particle accelerator, so I wouldn't say "Every element" but probably most of the elements on the periodic table. I'm not sure about radioactive particles... i'd assume so, but hopefully not for any extended period of time since hot particles like plutonium and Uranium continuously release radiation that could be damaging if it irradiates a specific area for very long.

I don't think we have EVERY element known in our bodies.

Here is a list of those we do have about half way down the page, quite a few missing really.

BUT, Thallium is there lol.



Body composition

originally posted by: Slanter
Some of the elements only stay cohesive for picoseconds after being slammed together with a particle accelerator, so I wouldn't say "Every element" but probably most of the elements on the periodic table. I'm not sure about radioactive particles... i'd assume so, but hopefully not for any extended period of time since hot particles like plutonium and Uranium continuously release radiation that could be damaging if it irradiates a specific area for very long.

Sure, that's why specified natural elements.

Can't imagine I have any fermium in me

originally posted by: Jonjonj
I don't think we have EVERY element known in our bodies.

Here is a list of those we do have about half way down the page, quite a few missing really.

BUT, Thallium is there lol.

Body composition

Interesting list. Weird to see thallium and samarium on there. But this is a general list of known elements in the body. What is the likely hood that I have even just a few atoms of praseodymium? It's similar to samarium...so why not?

a reply to: Jonjonj
Yes uranium and radium are listed, as trace elements, but one I don't see is Technetium, atomic number 43, so I wouldn't be surprised if you don't have any of that even in trace amounts. It's more unstable than uranium and radium.

Technetium

Only minute traces of technetium occur naturally in the Earth's crust. This is because technetium's half-life is only 4.2 million years. Over a thousand half-lives have passed since the formation of the Earth, so the probability that even one atom of primordial technetium should still exist is essentially zero. However, small amounts do exist as spontaneous fission products in uranium ores.

Probably not accurate

originally posted by: ElOmen

Probably not accurate

Well...he's mixing compounds and elements. Rookie mistake.

a reply to: 3danimator2014

I'm not certain about whether we have some of every natural element, but I've always wondered whether there is and what the role might be of extremely trace nutrients. I do remember having these supplement packs once which contained Uranium as one of the tiny-trace ingredients. This surprised me, but apparently Uranium has such low radioactivity you can carry a nugget of it around with you, with no ill-effects. That's why radioactive isotopes with extremely long half-lives aren't all that dangerous - not a lot of emissions from decay. Isotopes with really short half-lives are extremely dangerous - but only for a little while before they're rendered more or less inert. It's those ones with decay that's fast enough to be dangerous, but slow enough to stick around for quite awhile (30, 50, etc. year half-lives)

a reply to: Arbitrageur

I like Technetium.

I feel it should be the object of the world's most exclusive "Find the needle in the heystack" competition!

originally posted by: 3danimator2014

originally posted by: Jonjonj
I don't think we have EVERY element known in our bodies.

Here is a list of those we do have about half way down the page, quite a few missing really.

BUT, Thallium is there lol.

Body composition

Interesting list. Weird to see thallium and samarium on there. But this is a general list of known elements in the body. What is the likely hood that I have even just a few atoms of praseodymium? It's similar to samarium...so why not?

I think I would like a smidgen of neon. I always felt I didn't shine to my full potential.

Technetium is a real oddity. I was always fascinated by it as a kid...why was it there.

Since that was loooong before the internet and instant information, I was just amazed by the small snippets of info I could glean.

Never in my wildest dreams back then did I think I would ever own some cesium or potassium or a lump of yttrium.

originally posted by: Jonjonj
a reply to: Arbitrageur

I like Technetium.

I feel it should be the object of the world's most exclusive "Find the needle in the heystack" competition!

Apparently the "haystacks" where it's located are uranium ore deposits, so you might get a tiny bit by consuming uranium ore but I wouldn't recommend that. Since most people don't consume uranium ore, that's why I suspect they might not have any Technetium, or even if they had a few atoms of it, the number might be so small it wouldn't show up in any test.

The exception to this rule would have been Galen Winsor, the only person I know of who liked to consume uranium.

a reply to: 3danimator2014

Can I request an element? I want some Lemmium in me! Link: On-line Petition to name newly discovered heavy metal after Lemmy

It would be the most brutal of all elements! It would be so heavy that the next door neighbor's grass would die!!

[ETA: All kidding aside, OP that is a good thought provoking question!]

originally posted by: Jonjonj

originally posted by: 3danimator2014

originally posted by: Jonjonj
I don't think we have EVERY element known in our bodies.

Here is a list of those we do have about half way down the page, quite a few missing really.

BUT, Thallium is there lol.

Body composition

Interesting list. Weird to see thallium and samarium on there. But this is a general list of known elements in the body. What is the likely hood that I have even just a few atoms of praseodymium? It's similar to samarium...so why not?

I think I would like a smidgen of neon. I always felt I didn't shine to my full potential.

If you are talking about shining, I think xenon or krypton might be for you...neon lamps are very dull...