11 Facts About Fluorine

Fluorine is a chemical element with the symbol F and atomic number 9.

Fluorine has no known metabolic role in mammals; a few plants and sea sponges synthesize organofluorine poisons that help deter predation.

Fluorine atoms have nine electrons, one fewer than neon, and electron configuration 1s2s2p: two electrons in a filled inner shell and seven in an outer shell requiring one more to be filled.

Fluorine has a rich chemistry, encompassing organic and inorganic domains.

Fluorine devised a method which evolves fluorine at high yield and atmospheric pressure:.

Fluorine is used to fluorinate uranium tetrafluoride, itself formed from uranium dioxide and hydrofluoric acid.

Fluorine is monoisotopic, so any mass differences between molecules are due to the presence of U or U, enabling uranium enrichment via gaseous diffusion or gas centrifuge.

Fluorine substitution, usually of a single atom or at most a trifluoromethyl group, is a robust modification with effects analogous to fluorinated pharmaceuticals: increased biological stay time, membrane crossing, and altering of molecular recognition.

Fluorine finds use in steroids: fludrocortisone is a blood pressure-raising mineralocorticoid, and triamcinolone and dexamethasone are strong glucocorticoids.

Fluorine-18 is often found in radioactive tracers for positron emission tomography, as its half-life of almost two hours is long enough to allow for its transport from production facilities to imaging centers.

Fluorine is not essential for humans and other mammals, but small amounts are known to be beneficial for the strengthening of dental enamel .