- Polonium 210 - Smoking Facts About Radioactive Ingredients in Cigarettes
What is polonium 210 doing in cigarettes?
The smoking facts reveal that this radioactive element is one of the carcinogenic ingredients in cigarettes.
Po-210 is a highly radioactive element and is toxic to humans.
Because of the nature of its radioactivity you cannot get a radiation "burn" from polonium.
It emits alpha particles which are non-penetrating and can easily be stopped
by a few inches of air, a sheet of paper, or even a layer of dead skin.
But don't let that fool you! When ingested, inhaled, or otherwise taken into the body
it can do considerable damage to human tissues. Alpha radiation is in fact the most destructive
form of ionizing radiation and can cause damage at the chromosome level. In other words
it can alter your DNA.
What is Polonium 210 Doing in Cigarettes?
This radioactive element is produced by the natural decay of uranium and so it is found in the earth's
crust in small amounts as is the case with many radioactive elements.
Since it is naturally present in soil it can be taken up by plants.
Polonium 210 seems to have an affinity for broad leafed plants such as tobacco.
Smoking Facts
Small exposures occurring over time increase the risk of cancer. There is now a significant body of evidence to suggest that
it plays a role in the development of
lung cancer and
bladder cancer and is one of the more dangerous chemicals in cigarettes.
In 1982 a study by Dr. J. Marmorstein published in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated the radiation dosage to the bronchial tissue for a pack
and a half a day smoker to be equivalent to the
radiation on the skin from 300 chest x-rays per year.
In animal studies tumours appear at 1/5th the dose of polonium-210 that could be expected in a
heavy smoker.
The time required for the level of polonium in the body to fall by half is 50 days.
Po-210 has been found in the urine, blood, and lung tissue of smokers.
It is not surprising that cigarette smoking is now considered to be the most significant source of polonium-210 exposure.
The purpose of the information provided here is to help you cooperate with your doctor and other
health practitioners. It is not intended to take the place of medical advice and you are encouraged to
discuss health concerns with your physician or a professional health care provider who is
familiar with you and your unique personal health context.
