Cobalt-60 Nuclear Generating Station. The cobalt targets are substituted here for a small number of fuel assemblies. After entering a living mammal (such as a human being), some of the is excreted in feces. The remainder is taken up by tissues, mainly the liver, kidneys, and bones, where the prolonged exposure to gamma radiation can cause cancer. Over time, the absorbed cobalt is eliminated in urine. Cobalt is an element used to make steel. Uncontrolled disposal of in scrap metal is responsible for the radioactivity found in several iron-based products. In August 2012, Petco recalled several models of steel pet food
Isotopes of cobalt Isotopes of cobalt Naturally occurring cobalt (Co) is composed of 1 stable isotope, Co. 28 radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being Co with a half-life of 5.2714 years, Co with a half-life of 271.8 days, Co with a half-life of 77.27 days, and Co with a half-life of 70.86 days. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 18 hours and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 1 second. This element also has 11 meta states, all of which have half-lives less than 15 minutes. The isotopes of cobalt