描述
Hafnium, also known as 72hf or hafnio, is a member of the class of compounds known as homogeneous transition metal compounds. Homogeneous transition metal compounds are inorganic compounds containing only metal atoms,with the largest atom being a transition metal atom. Hafnium can be found in a number of food items such as common hazelnut, almond, cucumber, and spinach, which makes hafnium a potential biomarker for the consumption of these food products. Hafnium can be found primarily in saliva and urine. Hafnium is a chemical element with symbol Hf and atomic number 72. A lustrous, silvery gray, tetravalent transition metal, hafnium chemically resembles zirconium and is found in many zirconium minerals. Its existence was predicted by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, though it was not identified until 1923, by Coster and Hevesy, making it the last stable element to be discovered. Hafnium is named after Hafnia, the Latin name for Copenhagen, where it was discovered .