81
Tl
Thallium
Atomic Mass 204.3833
Electron Configuration [Xe]6s24f145d106p1
Oxidation States +3, +1
Year Discovered 1861

Identifiers

Element Name Thallium
Element Symbol Tl
InChI InChI=1S/Tl
InChIKey BKVIYDNLLOSFOA-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Properties

Atomic Weight

[204.382, 204.385]

204.3833

204.38

[204.382,204.385]

Electron Configuration

[Xe]6s24f145d106p1

Atomic Radius

Van der Waals Atomic Radius : 196 pm (Van der Waals)

Empirical Atomic Radius : 190pm (Empirical)

Covalent Atomic Radius : 145(7) pm (Covalent)

Oxidation States

+3, +1

3, 2, 1, -1, -2, -5 ​

Ground Level

21/2

Ionization Energy

6.108 eV

6.1082873 ± 0.0000012 eV

Electronegativity

Pauling Scale Electronegativity : 1.62(Pauling Scale)

Allen Scale Electronegativity : 1.789(Allen Scale)

Electron Affinity

0.2eV

0.32eV

Atomic Spectra

Lines Holdings

Levels Holdings

Physical Description

Solid

Element Classification

Metal

Element Period Number

6

Element Group Number

13

Density

11.8 grams per cubic centimeter

Melting Point

577 K (304°C or 579°F)

304°C

Boiling Point

1746 K (1473°C or 2683°F)

1473°C

Estimated Crustal Abundance

8.5×10-1 milligrams per kilogram

Estimated Oceanic Abundance

1.9×10-5 milligrams per liter

History

The name derives from the Greek thallos for "green shoot" or "twig" because of the bright green line in its spectrum. Thallium was discovered by the English physicist and chemist William Crookes in 1861. Metallic thallium was first isolated by the French chemist Claude-Auguste Lamy in 1862.

Thallium was discovered spectroscopically by Sir William Crookes, an English chemist, in 1861. Crooks had obtained the sludge left over from the production of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) from a friend. After removing all of the selenium from the sludge, he inspected it with a device known as a spectroscope to look for signs of tellurium. Rather than seeing the yellow spectral lines produced by tellurium, he observed a bright green line that no one had ever seen before. He named the new element that was producing the green line thallium, after the greek word for 'green twig', thallos. He isolated samples of thallium the next year. Thallium is found in the minerals crooksite (CuThSe), lorandite (TlAsS2) and hutchinsonite ((Pb, Tl)2As5S9), but is usually obtained as a byproduct of the production of sulfuric acid or as a byproduct of refining zinc or lead.

From Greek thallos, meanin a green shoot or twig. Thallium was discovered spectroscopically in 1861 by Crookes. The element was named after the beautiful green spectral line, which identified the element. The metal was isolated both by Crookes and by Lamy in 1862 at about the same time.

Historical Atomic Weights

Year Atomic Weight (uncertainty) [u] Reference
2009 [204.382, 204.385] https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REP-10-09-14
1985 204.3833(2) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198658121677
1979 204.383(1) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1969 204.37(3) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197021010091
1961 204.37 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00881a001
1925 204.39 https://doi.org/10.1039/CT9252700913
1909 204.0 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01931a001
1902 204.1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01370337

Historical Isotopic Abundances

Year Isotope Abundance (uncertainty) Reference
2013 203Tl [0.2944, 0.2959] https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0503
2013 205Tl [0.7041, 0.7056] https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0503
2001 203Tl 0.2952(1) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
2001 205Tl 0.7048(1) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
1989 203Tl 0.295 24(14) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989 205Tl 0.704 76(14) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1979 203Tl 0.295 24(18) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1979 205Tl 0.704 76(18) https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1975 203Tl 0.295 https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975 205Tl 0.705 https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075

Description

When freshly exposed to air, thallium exhibits a metallic luster, but soon develops a bluish-gray tinge, resembling lead in appearance. A heavy oxide builds up on thallium if left in air, and in the presence of water the hydride is formed. The metal is very soft and malleable. It can be cut with a knife. Twenty five isotopic forms of thallium, with atomic masses ranging from 184 to 210 are recognized. Natural thallium is a mixture of two isotopes. A mercury-thallium alloy, which forms a eutectic at 8.5% thallium, is reported to freeze at -60C, some 20 degrees below the freezing point of mercury.

Users

There are no uses for metallic thallium since pure thallium quickly combines with oxygen and water vapor from the atmosphere, forming a black, powdery substance. Thallium, used in conjunction with sulfur or selenium and arsenic, forms low melting glass. Thallium sulfate (Tl2SO4), an odorless, tasteless thallium compound, was once used as a rat and ant poison, although it has been banned from household use in the United States since 1974. Thallium sulfide (Tl2S), thallium iodide (TlI) and thallium bromide (TlBr) are all compounds used in devices to detect infrared radiation.

Thallium sulfate has been widely employed as a rodenticide and ant killer. It is odorless and tasteless, giving no warning of its presence. Its use, however, has been prohibited in the U.S. since 1975 as a household insecticide and rodenticide. The electrical conductivity of thallium sulfide changes with exposure to infrared light, and this compound is used in photocells. Thallium bromide-iodide crystals have been used as infrared optical materials. Thallium has been used, with sulfur or selenium and arsenic, to produce low melting glasses with become fluid between 125 and 150C. These glasses have properties at room temperatures similar to ordinary glasses and are said to be durable and insoluble in water. Thallium oxide has been used to produce glasses with a high index of refraction, and is used in the manufacture of photo cells. Thallium has been used in treating ringworm and other skin infections; however, its use has been limited because of the narrow margin between toxicity and therapeutic benefits.

Sources

Thallium occurs in crooksite, lorandite, and hutchinsonite. It is also present in pyrites and is recovered from the roasting of this ore in connection with the production of sulfuric acid. It is also obtained from the smelting of lead and zinc ores. Extraction is somewhat complex and depends on the source of the thallium. Manganese nodules, found on the ocean floor, contain thallium.

Compounds

See more information at the Thallium compound page.

Element Forms

CID Name Formula SMILES Molecular Weight
5359464 thallium Tl [Tl] 204.383
5461982 thallium-201 Tl [201Tl] 200.9708
105005 thallium(1+) Tl+ [Tl+] 204.383
16019994 thallium-203 Tl [203Tl] 202.97234
105172 thallium(3+) Tl+3 [Tl+3] 204.383
6335516 thallium-204 Tl [204Tl] 203.97386
6335611 thallium-208 Tl [208Tl] 207.98202
6337070 thallium-200 Tl [200Tl] 199.97096
6337071 thallium-202 Tl [202Tl] 201.97211
16019993 thallium-205 Tl [205Tl] 204.97443
25087151 thallium-207 Tl [207Tl] 206.97742
10130399 thallium-201(1+) Tl+ [201Tl+] 200.9708
6337571 thallium-199 Tl [199Tl] 198.9699
6337570 thallium-206 Tl [206Tl] 205.97611
6337634 thallium-195 Tl [195Tl] 194.9698
6337535 thallium-194 Tl [194Tl] 193.9711
6337615 thallium-197 Tl [197Tl] 196.9696
6337662 thallium-209 Tl [209Tl] 208.98535
44145119 thallium-210 Tl [210Tl] 209.9901
6337590 thallium-198 Tl [198Tl] 197.97045
165412135 thallium-199(1+) Tl+ [199Tl+] 198.9699

Handling And Storage

The element and its compounds are toxic and should be handled carefully. Contact of the metal with skin is dangerous, and when melting the metal adequate ventilation should be provided. Exposure to thallium (soluble compounds) - skin, as Tl, should not exceed 0.1 mg/m3 (8-hour time-weighted average - 40-hour work week). Thallium is suspected of carcinogenic potential for man.

Isotopes

Stable Isotope Count 2

Isotopes in Earth/Planetary Science

Because molecules, atoms, and ions of the stable isotopes of thallium possess slightly different physical and chemical properties, they commonly will be fractionated during physical, chemical, and biological processes, giving rise to variations in isotopic abundances and in atomic weights. There are substantial variations in the isotopic abundances of thallium in natural terrestrial materials (Fig. IUPAC.81.1). These variations are useful in investigating the origin of substances and studying environmental, hydrological, and geological processes [538]. The isotope-amount ratio n(205Tl)/n(203Tl) has been used to study how trace metals are transported and distributed in hydrothermal fluids [538]. The n(205Tl)/n(203Tl) ratio has also been used to study the cycling, distribution, and behavior of thallium in the marine environment [538].

Fig. IUPAC.81.1: Variation in atomic weight with isotopic composition of selected thallium-bearing materials (modified from [13], [17]).

[13] M. W. Wieser, T. B. Coplen. Pure Appl Chem.83, 359 (2011).
[17] T. B. Coplen, J. A. Hopple, J. K. Böhlke, H. S. Peiser, S. E. Rieder, H. R. Krouse, K. J. R. Rosman, T. Ding, R. D. Vocke, K. Revesz, A. Lamberty, P. D. P. Taylor, P. D. Bièvre. United States Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 01-4222, (2002).
[538] M. Rehkamper, M. Frank, J. R. Hein, D. Porcelli, A. Halliday, J. Ingri, V. Liebetrau. Earth. Planet. Sci. Lett.197, 65 (2002).

Isotopes in Medicine

201Tl scintigraphy is used to detect coronary artery disease [539]. Imaging of 201Tl (with a half-life of 3 days), can be used for exercise perfusion tests of the myocardium (muscular tissue of the heart), which determine damage to the heart caused by a heart attack or by heart disease (Fig. IUPAC.81.2) [539].

Fig. IUPAC.81.2: During exercise myocardium perfusion tests, a patient will exercise on a treadmill until they have reached their maximal exercise point (determined by heart rate and age). Once they reach their maximal exercise point, a radionuclide (usually of thallium or technetium) is injected into the intravenous line in their arm, and the patient continues to exercise for a few more minutes. Once the radionuclide reaches the heart, the patient lies flat on a table and a gamma camera takes pictures of the heart for about 30 min. The areas of decreased blood flow or damaged tissue will be illuminated by the radionuclide. (Image source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Diseases and Conditions Index, National Institutes of Health) [540].

[539] G. A. Beller, B. L. Zaret. Circulation101, 1465 (2000).
[540] National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Diseases and Conditions Index. What is Stress Testing? National Institutes of Health (2017), Feb. 26; http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health//dci/Diseases/stress/stress_all.html.

Isotopes Used as a Source of Radioactive Isotope(s)

203Tl is used in the production of 201Tl via the 203Tl (p, 3 n) 201Pb reaction, which is followed by a subsequent electron capture decay reaction of 201Pb to finally yield 201Tl. 205Tl is used as an alternative target in the production of 201Tl.

Isotope Mass and Abundance

Isotope Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u] Abundance (uncertainty)
203Tl 202.972 344(8) [0.2944, 0.2959]
205Tl 204.974 427(8) [0.7041, 0.7056]
Isotope Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u] Abundance (uncertainty)
203Tl 202.9723446(14) 0.2952(1)
205Tl 204.9744278(14) 0.7048(1)

Atomic Mass, Half Life, and Decay

Nuclide Atomic Mass and Uncertainty [u] Half Life and Uncertainty Discovery Year Decay Modes, Intensities and Uncertainties [%]
176Tl 176.000627731 ± 0.000089166 6.2 ms ± 2.3 2004 p≈100%; α ?; β+ ?
177Tl 176.996414252 ± 0.000023218 18 ms ± 5 1999 α=73±1.3%; p ?
177Tlm 176.996414252 ± 0.000023218 230 us ± 40 1997 p=51±0.8%; α=49±0.8%
178Tl 177.995047 ± 0.00011 [Estimated] 255 ms ± 9 1997 α=62±0.2%; β+=38±0.2%; β+SF=0.15±0.6%
179Tl 178.991122185 ± 0.000041495 437 ms ± 9 1983 α=60±0.2%; β+ ?
179Tlm 178.991122185 ± 0.000041495 1.41 ms ± 0.02 1983 α≈100%; IT ?; β+ ?
179Tln 178.991122185 ± 0.000041495 119 ns ± 14 2018 IT=100%
180Tl 179.989918950 ± 0.000075058 1.09 s ± 0.01 1987 β+=93±0.3%; α=7±0.3%; β+SF=0.0032±0.2%
181Tl 180.986259978 ± 0.000009771 2.9 s ± 0.1 1996 β+ ?; α=8.6±0.6%
181Tlm 180.986259978 ± 0.000009771 1.40 ms ± 0.03 1984 IT=99.60±0.4%; α=0.40±0.6%; β+ ?
182Tl 181.985692649 ± 0.000012856 1.9 s ± 0.1 1991 β+≈100%; α>0.49%; β+SF<3.4e-6%
182Tlm 181.985692649 ± 0.000012856 3.1 s ± 1.0 1991 β+≈100%; α=2.5±1.4%; IT ?
182Tlp 181.985692649 ± 0.000012856 Not-specified
183Tl 182.982192843 ± 0.000010017 6.9 s ± 0.7 1980 β+=?; α ?
183Tlm 182.982192843 ± 0.000010017 53.3 ms ± 0.3 1980 IT ?; α=1.5±0.3%; β+ ?
183Tln 182.982192843 ± 0.000010017 1.48 us ± 0.10 2001 IT=100%
184Tl 183.981874973 ± 0.000010747 9.5 s ± 0.2 1976 β+=98.78±3%; α=1.22±3%
184Tlm 183.981874973 ± 0.000010747 10.6 s ± 0.5 2016 β+=99.53±0.6%; IT ?; α=0.47±0.6%
184Tln 183.981874973 ± 0.000010747 47.1 ms ± 0.7 1984 IT≈100%; α=0.089±1.9%
185Tl 184.978789189 ± 0.000022194 19.5 s ± 0.5 1976 β+≈100%; α ?
185Tlm 184.978789189 ± 0.000022194 1.93 s ± 0.08 1976 IT≈100%; α=?; β+ ?
186Tl 185.978654787 ± 0.000022276 3.5 s ± 0.5 1975 β+ ?; α=?
186Tlm 185.978654787 ± 0.000022276 27.5 s ± 1.0 1975 β+≈100%; α≈0.006%
186Tln 185.978654787 ± 0.000022276 3.40 s ± 0.09 1977 IT<94.1±0.3%; β+>5.9±0.3%
187Tl 186.975904740 ± 0.00000864 ~51 s 1976 β+≈100%; α ?
187Tlm 186.975904740 ± 0.00000864 15.60 s ± 0.12 1976 IT=?; β+=?; α=0.15±0.5%
187Tln 186.975904740 ± 0.00000864 1.11 us ± 0.7 2000 IT=100%
187Tlp 186.975904740 ± 0.00000864 693 ns ± 38 2000 IT=100%
188Tl 187.976020886 ± 0.000032103 71 s ± 2 1970 β+=100%
188Tlm 187.976020886 ± 0.000032103 71.5 s ± 1.5 1970 β+=100%
188Tln 187.976020886 ± 0.000032103 41 ms ± 4 1981 IT≈100%; β+ ?
189Tl 188.973573525 ± 0.000008983 2.3 m ± 0.2 1972 β+=100%
189Tlm 188.973573525 ± 0.000008983 1.4 m ± 0.1 1972 β+≈100%; IT ?
190Tl 189.973841771 ± 0.000007784 2.6 m ± 0.3 1970 β+=100%
190Tlm 189.973841771 ± 0.000007784 3.6 m ± 0.3 1970 β+=100%
190Tln 189.973841771 ± 0.000007784 750 us ± 40 1981 IT=100%
190Tlp 189.973841771 ± 0.000007784 60 ms [Estimated] 1991 IT=100%
191Tl 190.971784093 ± 0.000007889 20 m [Estimated] 1974 β+ ?
191Tlm 190.971784093 ± 0.000007889 5.22 m ± 0.16 1970 β+=100%
192Tl 191.972225000 ± 0.000034 9.6 m ± 0.4 1961 β+=100%
192Tlm 191.972225000 ± 0.000034 10.8 m ± 0.2 1961 β+=100%
192Tln 191.972225000 ± 0.000034 296 ns ± 5 1980 IT=100%
192Tlp 191.972225000 ± 0.000034 Not-specified 1991 α=100%
193Tl 192.970501994 ± 0.0000072 21.6 m ± 0.8 1960 β+=100%
193Tlm 192.970501994 ± 0.0000072 2.11 m ± 0.15 1963 IT≈75%; β+≈25%
194Tl 193.971081408 ± 0.000015 33.0 m ± 0.5 1960 β+=100%; α ?
194Tlm 193.971081408 ± 0.000015 32.8 m ± 0.2 1960 β+=100%
195Tl 194.969774052 ± 0.000011944 1.16 h ± 0.05 1955 β+=100%
195Tlm 194.969774052 ± 0.000011944 3.6 s ± 0.4 1957 IT=100%
196Tl 195.970481189 ± 0.000013 1.84 h ± 0.03 1955 β+=100%
196Tlm 195.970481189 ± 0.000013 1.41 h ± 0.02 1960 β+=96.2±0.4%; IT=3.8±0.4%
197Tl 196.969560492 ± 0.000014573 2.84 h ± 0.04 1955 β+=100%
197Tlm 196.969560492 ± 0.000014573 540 ms ± 10 1953 IT=100%
198Tl 197.970446669 ± 0.0000081 5.3 h ± 0.5 1949 β+=100%
198Tlm 197.970446669 ± 0.0000081 1.87 h ± 0.03 1949 β+=55.9±2.3%; IT=44.1±2.3%
198Tln 197.970446669 ± 0.0000081 150 ns ± 40 1977 IT=100%
198Tlp 197.970446669 ± 0.0000081 32.1 ms ± 1.0 1975 IT=100%
199Tl 198.969877000 ± 0.00003 7.42 h ± 0.08 1949 β+=100%
199Tlm 198.969877000 ± 0.00003 28.4 ms ± 0.2 1963 IT=100%
200Tl 199.970963608 ± 0.000006182 26.1 h ± 0.1 1949 β+=100%
200Tlm 199.970963608 ± 0.000006182 34.0 ms ± 0.9 1963 IT=100%
200Tln 199.970963608 ± 0.000006182 397 ns ± 17 1972 IT=100%
201Tl 200.970820235 ± 0.000015228 3.0421 d ± 0.0008 1950 ε=100%
201Tlm 200.970820235 ± 0.000015228 2.01 ms ± 0.07 1962 IT=100%
202Tl 201.972108874 ± 0.000001972 12.31 d ± 0.08 1940 ε=100%
202Tlm 201.972108874 ± 0.000001972 591 us ± 3 1958 IT=100%
203Tl 202.972344098 ± 0.000001257 Stable 1931 IS=29.515±4.4%
203Tlm 202.972344098 ± 0.000001257 <1 us 2020 IT=100%
203Tln 202.972344098 ± 0.000001257 7.7 us ± 0.5 1998 IT=100%
204Tl 203.973863420 ± 0.000001238 3.783 y ± 0.012 1953 β-=97.08±0.7%; ε+β+=2.92±0.7%
204Tlm 203.973863420 ± 0.000001238 61.7 us ± 1.0 1972 IT=100%
204Tln 203.973863420 ± 0.000001238 2.6 us ± 0.2 1998 IT=100%
204Tlp 203.973863420 ± 0.000001238 420 ns ± 30 1998 IT=100%
204Tlq 203.973863420 ± 0.000001238 90 ns ± 3 2011 IT=100%
205Tl 204.974427318 ± 0.00000133 Stable 1931 IS=70.485±4.4%
205Tlm 204.974427318 ± 0.00000133 2.6 us ± 0.2 1976 IT=100%
205Tln 204.974427318 ± 0.00000133 235 ns ± 10 2004 IT=100%
206Tl 205.976110108 ± 0.00000138 4.202 m ± 0.011 1935 β-=100%
206Tlm 205.976110108 ± 0.00000138 3.74 m ± 0.03 1976 IT=100%
207Tl 206.977418605 ± 0.000005839 4.77 m ± 0.02 1908 β-=100%
207Tlm 206.977418605 ± 0.000005839 1.33 s ± 0.11 1965 IT≈100%; β- ?
208Tl 207.982018006 ± 0.000001989 3.053 m ± 0.004 1909 β-=100%
208Tlm 207.982018006 ± 0.000001989 1.3 us ± 0.1 2020 IT=100%
209Tl 208.985351713 ± 0.000006559 2.162 m ± 0.007 1950 β-=100%; β-n ?
209Tlm 208.985351713 ± 0.000006559 146 ns ± 10 2009 IT=100%
210Tl 209.990072942 ± 0.000012456 1.30 m ± 0.03 1909 β-=100%; β-n=0.009±0.6%
210Tlm 209.990072942 ± 0.000012456 1 m >3 us [Estimated] 2018 β- ?; IT ?
211Tl 210.993475000 ± 0.000045 81 s ± 16 1998 β-=100%; β-n=2.2±2.2%
211Tlm 210.993475000 ± 0.000045 580 ns ± 80 2019 IT=100%
212Tl 211.998335 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] 31 s ± 8 1998 β-=100%; β-n=1.8±1.8%
213Tl 213.001915000 ± 0.000029 23.8 s ± 4.4 2010 β-=100%; β-n=7.6±3.4%
213Tlm 213.001915000 ± 0.000029 4.1 us ± 0.5 2019 IT=100%
213Tln 213.001915000 ± 0.000029 0.6 us ± 0.3 2019 IT=100%
214Tl 214.006940 ± 0.00021 [Estimated] 11.0 s ± 2.4 2010 β-=100%; β-n=34±1.2%
215Tl 215.010768 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] 9.7 s ± 3.8 2010 β-=100%; β-n=4.6±4.6%
216Tl 216.015964 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] 5.9 s ± 3.3 2010 β-=100%; β-n<11.5%
217Tl 217.020032 ± 0.000429 [Estimated] 2 s >300ns [Estimated] 2010 β- ?; β-n ?
218Tl 218.025454 ± 0.000429 [Estimated] 1 s [Estimated] β- ?; β-n ?

Information Sources

  1. 1.  PubChem
  2. 2.  Atomic Mass Data Center (AMDC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
  3. 3.  IUPAC Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW)
  4. 4.  Jefferson Lab, U.S. Department of Energy
    LICENSE
    Please see citation and linking information https https://www.jlab.org/privacy-and-security-notice
  5. 5.  Los Alamos National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy
  6. 6.  NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory
  7. 7.  IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI)
    LICENSE
    Copyright (c) 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) contribution within Pubchem is provided under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, unless otherwise stated.
    https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
  8. 8.  PubChem Elements
    Thallium

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