Radioactive decay of At-211 Decay scheme showing that astatine-211 undergoes 100 percent alpha emission, releasing one alpha particle per decay and not generating a serial decay chain of potentially toxic daughter nuclei. (more) What Is Astatine Used For? Written by Divya Dubey Divya Dubey is an editor at Britannica, focusing on Chemistry content. Divya Dubey 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 Last updated Feb. 27, 2026 •History What Is Astatine Used For?, Astatine (At) has no established industrial, commercial, or household uses, because of its extreme scarcity and the short half-lives of its radioactive isotopes, which limit production, handling, and long-term use. However, it is being researched for potential applications in cancer treatment, primarily in the field of targeted alpha therapy (TAT), which delivers alpha-emitting radioisotopes directly to tumor cells. In this context, the isotope astatine-211 (At-211) has been investigated for potential...

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