Cobalt-60 | Uses, Half-Life, & Facts - Encyclopedia Britannica

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External Websites

• Unietd States Environmental Protection Agency - Cobalt-60
• Centers for Disese Control and Prevention - Radiation Emergencies - Cobalt-60

cobalt-60 chemical isotope Ask Anything Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

cobalt-60, radioactive isotope of cobalt used in industry and medicine. Cobalt-60 is the longest-lived radioactive isotope of cobalt, with a half-life of 5.27 years. It is produced by irradiating the stable isotope cobalt-59 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Cobalt-60 is used in the inspection of materials to reveal internal structure, flaws, or foreign objects and in the sterilization of food. In medicine, it is used to treat cancer and to sterilize medical equipment.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.