Element: Palladium, Pd
Atomic Number: 46
Why I chose:
This element plays a number of beneficial roles—converting harmful gases into less harmful gases.
Isotopes:
The element has 9 isotopes, the most abundance is 106Pd (27.33%). Four isotopes are radioactive.
Discovered:
Published as a new element in 1805 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston
Occurrence:
The leading producers of palladium are Russia (44%) and South Africa (40%) followed by Canada (6%) and the US (5%)
Interesting Facts/Uses:
Palladium readily absorbs hydrogen at an unusually high rate. It is also used in dentistry and jewelry as well as in automobile catalytic converters. It is often extracted from gold and nickel mining operations.