Iodine lipid enveloped viruses. Iodine probably attacks surface proteins of enveloped viruses, and it may also destabilise membrane fatty acids by reacting with unsaturated carbon bonds. In medicine, a saturated solution of potassium iodide is used to treat acute thyrotoxicosis. It is also used to block uptake of iodine-131 in the thyroid gland (see isotopes section above), when this isotope is used as part of radiopharmaceuticals (such as iobenguane) that are not targeted to the thyroid or thyroid-type tissues. Iodine-131 (usually as iodide) is a component of nuclear fallout, and is particularly dangerous owing to the thyroid gland's propensity to concentrate
Isotopes of iodine and 1970s reached about 10). I differs from Cl in that its half-life is longer (15.7 vs. 0.301 million years), it is highly biophilic, and occurs in multiple ionic forms (commonly, I and IO), which have different chemical behaviors. This makes it fairly easy for I to enter the biosphere as it becomes incorporated into vegetation, soil, milk, animal tissue, etc. Of the many isotopes of iodine, only two are typically used in a medical setting: iodine-123 and iodine-131. Since I has both a beta and gamma decay mode, it can be used for radiotherapy or for imaging. I, which