iodine 131

noun

Chemistry.

1. a radioactive isotope of iodine having a mass number 131 and a half-life of 8.6 days, used in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the thyroid gland.

Example Sentences

Iodine 131 resembles naturally occurring iodine 127, which concentrates in the thyroid gland.

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Iodine 131 is a particularly problematic radioactive isotope because it tends to drift for long distances on the wind.

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But in the event of a nuclear accident, people who may be exposed to iodine 131 can take potassium iodide tablets, which provide enough non-radioactive iodine 127 to saturate the thyroid.

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Cows living near the Chernobyl plant had grazed on grass covered in iodine 131.

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Children, who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of iodine 131, had drunk the cows’ milk.

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