Rutherfordium - Rf

Chemical properties of rutherfordium

Rutherfordium (Rf) is a synthetic, radioactive element with atomic number 104. It is assigned to Group 4, below titanium, zirconium, and hafnium. Only very small numbers of atoms have been produced, and the element has no stable isotopes. The representative mass number [267] denotes a radioactive isotope, not a standard atomic weight. Bulk properties such as density and melting point are unknown.

Research and occurrence

Rutherfordium does not occur naturally in measurable quantities. It is made in nuclear-reaction experiments and studied atom by atom to test how its chemistry compares with other Group 4 elements. It has no commercial, environmental, or water-treatment application.

Health and environmental context

Rutherfordium is radioactive and produced only in controlled research settings. Because its isotopes are short-lived and only individual atoms are produced, it is not an environmental contaminant encountered in water-treatment practice.

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Rutherfordium page last reviewed: 24 October 2026 by Lenntech.