Radium Pyrophosphate

Description

Radium pyrophosphate would have the molecular formula of Ra2P2O7 and the molecular weight of 448.5973 g/mol. It has no CAS number. It may be prepared by the solid-state reaction of the dibasic orthophosphate, or alternately by the precipitation of a soluble Ba salt with aqueous pyrophosphoric acid:
2RaHPO4 + heat ? Ra2P2O7 +H2O
RaCl2 (aq) +H4P2O7 (aq) ? Ra2P2O7 (solid) + 2HCl (aq)

The Uses of Radium Pyrophosphate

Radium coprecipitates with all barium compounds (and to a lesser extent with most strontium and lead compounds) even though the solubility product of the radium compound itself may not be exceeded. Because radium was one of the first radioactive elements utilized in tracer research, it was used in the development of the coprecipitation laws. Thus, in view of the intense radioactivity of 226Ra, the formation of (Ba,Ra)2P2O7 is probably the best method of forming the pyrophosphate. The only usage of radium pyrophosphate has been in the medical field as a radioactive tracer and catalyst.