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Trace Elements Laboratory |
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A
Joint Venture of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's
Health Care London
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Helium (He)
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This
element is not currently measured in this laboratory.
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Helium is one of the so-called noble gases. Helium gas is unreactive, colourless, and odourless. Helium is available in pressurised tanks. Elemental helium
is a colourless odourless monoatomic gas. Helium is the second most
abundant element in the universe after hydrogen. a particles are
doubly ionised helium atoms, He2+.
Isolation There is very little helium on earth as nearly all present during and immediately after the earth's formation has long since been lost as it is so light. Just about all the helium remaining on the planet is the result of radioactive decay. While there is some helium in the atmosphere, currently its isolation from that source by liquefaction and separation of air is not normally economic. This is bacause it is easier, and cheaper, to isolate the gas from certain natural gases. Concentrations of helium in natural gas in the USA are as high as 7% and other good sources include natural gas from some sources in Poland. It is isolable from these gases by liquefaction and separation of from the natural gas.
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