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Polonium-210 is widespread in the biosphere, including in human tissues, because of its position in the uranium-238 decay chain. Natural uranium-238 in the Earth's crust decays through a series of solid radioactive intermediates including radium-226 to the radioactive noble gas radon-222 , some of which, during its 3.8-day half-life, diffuses ...
Polonium-210 (210 Po, Po-210, historically radium F) is an isotope of polonium. It undergoes alpha decay to stable 206 Pb with a half-life of 138.376 days (about 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 months), the longest half-life of all naturally occurring polonium isotopes ( 210–218 Po). [ 1 ]
Polonium-210 has a half-life of 138 days and decays to the stable daughter isotope of lead, 206 Pb. Therefore, the source is reduced to about one sixteenth of its original radioactivity about 18 months after production. By measuring the proportion of polonium and lead in a sample, one can establish the production date of polonium.
Polonium poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and lymphopenia. It can also damage hair follicles and white blood cells. [2] [74] Polonium-210 is only dangerous if ingested or inhaled because its alpha particle emissions cannot penetrate human skin. [65] Polonium-209 is also toxic, and can cause leukemia. [75]
An "incident" of chemical food contamination may be defined as an episodic occurrence of adverse health effects in humans (or animals that might be consumed by humans) following high exposure to particular chemicals, or instances where episodically high concentrations of chemical hazards were detected in the food chain and traced back to a particular event.
While a morning bagel can be pretty satisfying, it turns out the breakfast food may not be as harmless as you think! Some common foods in your kitchen right now could send you to the emergency ...
Just because a radioisotope lands on the surface of the soil, does not mean it will enter the human food chain. After release into the environment, radioactive materials can reach humans in a range of different routes, and the chemistry of the element usually dictates the most likely route.
People are ingesting borax. Also known by its chemical name sodium borate decahydrate, borax is a salt typically used to kill ants and boost laundry detergent, among other household cleaning needs ...