Gadolinium (Gd)

Gadolinium (Gd) is a naturally-occurring, silvery white chemical element with a metallic shine. In nature it is never found as a free element, but is contained in such rare minerals as monazite and bastnasite. Interestingly, the mineral gadolinite after which the element gadolinium was named contains only trace amounts of gadolinium. Due to its scarcity, gadolinium is most often created in a laboratory through ion exchange and solvent extraction techniques.

Gadolinium is relatively stable in dry air but oxidizes rapidly in moist air. Gadolinium reacts slowly with water and can be dissolved in diluted acid. This metallic element is strongly affected by magnets and its temperature increases in the presence of a magnetic field. These magnetic properties of gadolinium make it very useful for applications in medicinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Gadolinium also has one of the highest thermal neutron capture cross-sections of all known elements. However, its fast burn-out rate significantly reduces its usefulness as a nuclear control rod material.

Uses of Gadolinium

While gadolinium was first discovered in 1880, this metallic element was not used much until relatively recently. Today, gadolinium is used in manufacturing appliances and computer hardware, metalworking and medical imaging.

• Appliances. Gadolinium is used in making certain parts of microwaves and phosphors for color televisions.
• Computer hardware. Gadolinium compounds are used in making computer memory chips. Other related gadolinium applications include its use in manufacturing compact discs.
• Metalworking. Gadolinium can be alloyed with chromium, iron and several other metals to improve their workability and resistance to high temperatures and oxidation.
• Medical Imaging. While the best known medicinal application of gadolinium is its use as a contrast agent during MRI/MRA scans, it is also used in other imaging studies. For example, gadolinium is used in X-ray imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) studies.

 

Other Uses of Gadolinium: Magnetic Refrigerators

Scientists who study gadolinium are constantly discovering and developing new applications for this element. One of the most promising new applications is the use of gadolinium for making magnetic refrigerators. In 2001 the Milwaukee-based Astronautics Corporation of America demonstrated the world’s first successful magnet refrigerator. Unlike traditional appliances that use ozone-depleting refrigerants and consume a lot of electricity, the magnetic refrigerator uses gadolinium metal and special magnets to achieve the cooling effect. As a result, the magnetic refrigerator requires minimal amount of electrical energy and causes little to no harm to the environment.

The magnetic refrigerator works due to the special magnetic properties of gadolinium. This metal heats up when exposed to a magnetic field and cools down when the magnetic field is removed. By manipulating the magnetic field, scientists are able to achieve a significant cooling effect — the main requirement for a working refrigerator. Scientists are currently working on perfecting gadolinium-based cooling technology so it can be used on a wider scale to make environment-friendly home refrigerators, air conditioning devices and cooling equipment for electronics.

Gadolinium Controversy

Recently, the medicinal use of gadolinium during MRI/MRA scans has come under scrutiny. Exposure to gadolinium has been linked to the onset of a debilitating condition referred to as NSF / NFD in certain patients. It appears that patients with severe kidney problems, such as renal insufficiency, are at risk for developing NSF / NFD after undergoing gadolinium-enhanced MRI/MRA scans. This disease is characterized by hardening of the skin and internal tissues throughout the body. It is a progressing condition that can lead to the inability to walk, breathing difficulties and failure of vital internal organs, which can cause a victim’s death. Currently, there is no cure for NSF / NFD. Several victims or their families have initiated gadolinium lawsuits seeking to hold manufacturers of gadolinium-based contrast agents responsible for the physical and emotional harm caused by their products.

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