Isotopes of mercury

There are seven stable isotopes of mercury (80Hg) with 202Hg being the most abundant (29.74%). The longest-lived radioisotopes are 194Hg with a half-life of 447 years, and 203Hg with a half-life of 46.61 days. Most of the remaining 40 radioisotopes have half-lives that are less than a day. The odd natural isotopes 199Hg and 201Hg are NMR-active, having spin of 1/2 and 3/2 respectively; as NMR is best with spin 1/2, the former is normally used. All isotopes of mercury are either radioactive or observationally stable, meaning that they are predicted to be radioactive but no actual decay has been observed. These isotopes are predicted to undergo either alpha decay or double beta decay.

List of isotopes

|-id=Mercury-170 | 170Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 90 | 170.00581(32)# | style="text-align:center" | 2019 | 310(250) μs | α | 166Pt | 0+

|-id=Mercury-171 | 171Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 91 | 171.00359(33)# | style="text-align:center" | 2004 | 70(30) μs | α | 167Pt | 3/2−#

|-id=Mercury-172 | 172Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 92 | 171.99886(16) | style="text-align:center" | 1999 | 231(9) μs | α | 168Pt | 0+

|-id=Mercury-173 | 173Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 93 | 172.99714(22)# | style="text-align:center" | 1999 | 800(80) μs | α | 169Pt | (7/2−)

|-id=Mercury-174 | 174Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 94 | 173.992871(21) | style="text-align:center" | 1997 | 2.0(4) ms | α | 170Pt | 0+

|-id=Mercury-175 | 175Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 95 | 174.99144(9) | style="text-align:center" | 1983 | 10.2(3) ms | α | 171Pt | (7/2−)

|-id=Mercury-175m | style="text-indent:1em" | 175mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 494(2) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2009 | 340(30) ns | IT | 175Hg | (13/2+)

|-id=Mercury-176 | rowspan=2|176Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 96 | rowspan=2|175.987349(12) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1983 | rowspan=2|20.3(14) ms | α (90%) | 172Pt | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+ (10%) | 176Au |-id=Mercury-177 | 177Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 97 | 176.98628(9) | style="text-align:center" | 1975 | 117(7) ms | α | 173Pt | 7/2−

|-id=Mercury-177m | style="text-indent:1em" | 177mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 323.2(13) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2003 | 1.50(15) μs | IT | 177Hg | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-178 | rowspan=2|178Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 98 | rowspan=2|177.982485(12) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1971 | rowspan=2|266.5(24) ms | α (89%) | 174Pt | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+ (11%) | 178Au |-id=Mercury-179 | rowspan=3|179Hg | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 99 | rowspan=3|178.98182(3) | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1970 | rowspan=3|1.05(3) s | α (75%) | 175Pt | rowspan=3|7/2− | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β+ (25%) | 179Au |- | β+, p (0.15%) | 178Pt |-id=Mercury-179m | style="text-indent:1em" | 179mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 171.4(4) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2002 | 6.4(9) μs | IT | 179Hg | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-180 | rowspan=2|180Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 100 | rowspan=2|179.978260(14) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1970 | rowspan=2|2.59(1) s | β+ (52%) | 180Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (48%) | 176Pt |-id=Mercury-181 | rowspan=4|181Hg | rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" | 101 | rowspan=4|180.977819(17) | rowspan=4 style="text-align:center" | 1969 | rowspan=4|3.6(1) s | β+ (73%) | 181Au | rowspan=4|1/2− | rowspan=4| | rowspan=4| |- | α (27%) | 177Pt |- | β+, p (0.014%) | 180Pt |- | β+, α (9×10−6%) | 177Ir |-id=Mercury-181m | style="text-indent:1em" | 181mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 210(50) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2009 | 480(20) μs | IT | 181Hg | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-182 | rowspan=3|182Hg | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 102 | rowspan=3|181.974689(11) | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1968 | rowspan=3|10.83(6) s | β+ (86.2%) | 182Au | rowspan=3|0+ | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | α (13.8%) | 178Pt |- | β+, p (<1×10−5%) | 181Pt |-id=Mercury-183 | rowspan=3|183Hg | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 103 | rowspan=3|182.974445(8) | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1969 | rowspan=3|9.4(7) s | β+ (88.3%) | 183Au | rowspan=3|1/2− | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | α (11.7%) | 179Pt |- | β+, p (2.6×10−4%) | 182Pt |-id=Mercury-183m | style="text-indent:1em" | 183mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 204(14) keV | style="text-align:center" | 2022 | >5# μs

| 13/2+#

|-id=Mercury-184 | rowspan=2|184Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 104 | rowspan=2|183.971718(10) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1969 | rowspan=2|30.87(26) s | β+ (98.89%) | 184Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (1.11%) | 180Pt |-id=Mercury-185 | rowspan=2|185Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 105 | rowspan=2|184.971891(15) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1960 | rowspan=2|49.1(10) s | β+ (94%) | 185Au | rowspan=2|1/2− | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (6%) | 181Pt |-id=Mercury-185m | rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" | 185mHg | rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 103.7(4) keV | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1970 | rowspan=3|21.6(15) s | IT (54%) | 185Hg | rowspan=3|13/2+ | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β+ (46%) | 185Au |- | α (0.03%) | 181Pt |-id=Mercury-186 | rowspan=2|186Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 106 | rowspan=2|185.969362(13) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1960 | rowspan=2|1.38(6) min | β+ (99.98%) | 186Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (0.016%) | 182Pt |-id=Mercury-186m | style="text-indent:1em" | 186mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2217.3(4) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1973 | 82(5) μs | IT | 186Hg | (8−)

|-id=Mercury-187 | 187Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 107 | 186.969814(14) | style="text-align:center" | 1960 | 1.9(3) min | β+ | 187Au | 3/2−

|-id=Mercury-187m | style="text-indent:1em" | 187mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 58(14) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1979 | 2.4(3) min | β+ | 187Au | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-188 | rowspan=2|188Hg | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 80 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 108 | rowspan=2|187.967581(7) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1960 | rowspan=2|3.25(15) min | β+ | 188Au | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | α (3.7×10−5%) | 184Pt |-id=Mercury-188m | style="text-indent:1em" | 188mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 2724.1(4) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1983 | 142(14) ns | IT | 188Hg | 12+

|-id=Mercury-189 | 189Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 109 | 188.96819(3) | style="text-align:center" | 1960 | 7.6(2) min | β+ | 189Au | 3/2−

|-id=Mercury-189m | style="text-indent:1em" | 189mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 80(30) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1966 | 8.6(2) min | β+ | 189Au | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-190 | 190Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 110 | 189.966322(17) | style="text-align:center" | 1959 | 20.0(5) min | β+ | 190Au | 0+

|-id=Mercury-191 | 191Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 111 | 190.967158(24) | style="text-align:center" | 1954 | 49(10) min | β+ | 191Au | 3/2−

|-id=Mercury-191m | style="text-indent:1em" | 191mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 128(22) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1971 | 50.8(15) min | β+ | 191Au | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-192 | 192Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 112 | 191.965634(17) | style="text-align:center" | 1952 | 4.85(20) h | EC | 192Au | 0+

|-id=Mercury-193 | 193Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 113 | 192.966653(17) | style="text-align:center" | 1952 | 3.80(15) h | β+ | 193Au | 3/2−

|-id=Mercury-193m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 193mHg | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 140.76(5) keV | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1958 | rowspan=2|11.8(2) h | β+ (92.8%) | 193Au | rowspan=2|13/2+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | IT (7.2%) | 193Hg |-id=Mercury-194 | 194Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 114 | 193.965449(3) | style="text-align:center" | 1962 | 447(28) y | EC | 194Au | 0+

|-id=Mercury-195 | 195Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 115 | 194.966706(25) | style="text-align:center" | 1952 | 10.69(16) h | β+ | 195Au | 1/2−

|-id=Mercury-195m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 195mHg | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 176.07(4) keV | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1952 | rowspan=2|41.60(19) h | IT (54.2%) | 195Hg | rowspan=2|13/2+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+ (45.8%) | 195Au |-id=Mercury-196 | 196Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 116 | 195.965833(3) | style="text-align:center" | 1927 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo β+β+ decay to 196Pt with a half-life over 2.5×1018 years; also theorized to undergo α decay to 192Pt | 0+ | 0.0015(1) | |-id=Mercury-197 | 197Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 117 | 196.967214(3) | style="text-align:center" | 1941 | 64.93(7) h | EC | 197Au | 1/2−

|-id=Mercury-197m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | 197mHg | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 298.93(8) keV | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1943 | rowspan=2|23.82(4) h | IT (94.68%) | 197Hg | rowspan=2|13/2+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | EC (5.32%) | 197Au |-id=Mercury-198 | 198Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 118 | 197.9667692(5) | style="text-align:center" | 1925 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 194Pt | 0+ | 0.1004(3) | |-id=Mercury-199 | 199Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 119 | 198.9682810(6) | style="text-align:center" | 1925 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 195Pt | 1/2− | 0.1694(12) | |-id=Mercury-199m | style="text-indent:1em" | 199mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 532.48(10) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1965 | 42.67(9) min | IT | 199Hg | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-200 | 200Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 120 | 199.9683269(6) | style="text-align:center" | 1925 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 196Pt | 0+ | 0.2314(9) | |-id=Mercury-201 | 201Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 121 | 200.9703031(8) | style="text-align:center" | 1925 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 197Pt | 3/2− | 0.1317(9) | |-id=Mercury-201m | style="text-indent:1em" | 201mHg | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | 766.22(15) keV | style="text-align:center" | 1962 | 94.0(20) μs | IT | 201Hg | 13/2+

|-id=Mercury-202 | 202Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 122 | 201.9706436(8) | style="text-align:center" | 1920 | colspan=3 align=center|Observationally StableBelieved to undergo α decay to 198Pt | 0+ | 0.2974(13) | |-id=Mercury-203 | 203Hg | style="text-align:right" | 80 | style="text-align:right" | 123 | 202.9728724(18) | style="text-align:center" | 1943 | 46.610(10) d | β− | 203Tl | 5/2−

|-id=Mercury-203m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | 203m1Hg