Quantifying of highly radioactive and radiotoxic polonium-210 intake from cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.): impacts of different smoking and vaporization techniques.

This study investigates the radiation dose that humans receive from naturally occurring uranium-series radionuclides, with a focus on alpha-emitting polonium-210 (Po), which has a half-life of 138.4 days. Polonium is efficiently absorbed by living organisms and is estimated to contribute approximately 7% of the total effective dose from ingested natural internal radiation.

Polonium on the 125th anniversary of its discovery: its chemistry, radiotoxicity and application.

The article recounts the discovery of the development of polonium chemistry. The development of its chemistry and the discovery of its properties and uses, both useful and criminal. In addition, it provides biographical details of its discoverers and the scientists who systematically uncovered its secrets.

Study of Polonium (Po) Activity Concentration in Fruit Wines Derived from Different Locations in Poland.

This study aimed at assessing the activity concentration and the annual effective dose of polonium-210 (210Po) in fruit wines derived from four locations in Poland (Warmian−Masurian, Podlaskie, Lubelskie and Małopolskie voivodeships). The fruit wines differed significantly (p < 0.05) in 210Po activity depending on the production site, with the Małopolskie site having the highest activity (61.

Sources of Polonium Po and Radio-Lead Pb in Human Body in Poland.

This article contains and discusses the results of research on the source of polonium Po and radio-lead Pb in the human body of adults living in Poland. An adult inhabitant of Poland receives an effective annual radiation dose of 309 µSv from inhalation and absorption of Po and Pb. The main sources of both radionuclides in the body is cigarette and marijuana smoking.

Determination of Po and Pb in cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants and products.

The concentrations of polonium Po and radio-lead Pb in cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) plants and products now legally available in Poland were determined. Limiting the delivery of radionuclides to the body is an important aspect of civil protection in many countries.

Assessment of intake of Po and Pb isotopes from cow's milk in Poland.

Milk has been known for its nutritional properties for centuries and is often the staple of the diet in many countries. Therefore, monitoring of milk composition seems to be a relevant task as it was the purpose of this study to compare levels of Po and Pb in several Polish voivodeships. The methodology was based on mineralization, loss on an inorganic matrix and concentration measurement on an alpha spectrometer.

Radioactivity of honey in central and southern Poland.

In 2017, the Polish public consumed on average 0.61 kg of honey, while the European average consumption was 0.7 kg (Data on honey consumption in Poland, 2014) [http://www.

Po in popular medicinal herbs from Poland.

Herbs are an important part of traditional medicine in Poland. Therefore, the aim of this study was the determination of polonium Po in 48 selected medicinal herb samples from the Polish market. The activity concentrations of Po were measured using alpha spectrometry.

Lichens and mosses as polonium and uranium biomonitors on Sobieszewo Island.

In the study the activities of polonium Po and uranium U, U radionuclides in moss and lichen samples were determined using the alpha spectrometry. Different lichens and mosses were collected around the Sobieszewo Island (northern Poland) and investigated for potential use as biomonitors for Po and U deposition. Mosses and lichens have a high efficiency in capturing Po and U from atmospheric fallout.

Po secretion from sweat glands.

The results of the research indicated that the Po activity concentration in sweat samples was between 0.22 ± 0.03 to 2.

A study on possible use of (common nettle) plants as uranium (U, U) contamination bioindicator near phosphogypsum stockpile.

The aim of this study was to determine uranium concentrations in common nettle () plants and corresponding soils samples which were collected from the area of phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka (northern Poland). The uranium concentrations in roots depended on its concentrations in soils. Calculated BCF and TF values showed that soils characteristics and air deposition affect uranium absorption and that different uranium species have different affinities to .

The radiological impact of phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka (northern Poland) on the Martwa Wisła river water.

The aim of this work was to determine the concentrations of uranium (U, U, U), polonium (Po) and lead (Pb) radioisotopes in water samples and to explore the impact of the phosphogypsum stack on the Martwa Wisła waters. The U, Po and Pb concentrations in analyzed water samples reached maximum values of 11.7 ± 0.

A study on possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as polonium (210)Po and lead (210)Pb contamination biomonitor in the area of phosphogypsum stockpile.

The aim of this study was to test a possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as a biomonitor of polonium (210)Po and lead (210)Pb contamination near phosphogypsum stacks by determining concentrations of these radionuclides in samples collected from the area of phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka (northern Poland). The (210)Po and (210)Pb contents in roots depended on their concentrations in soils. Bioconcentration factor values from soil to root of the plant did not depend on (210)Po and (210)Pb contents in soils that leads to the conclusion that different polonium and lead species have different affinities to U.

Uranium ((234)U, (235)U and (238)U) contamination of the environment surrounding phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland).

The aim of this work was to determine the uranium concentration ((234)U, (235)U and (238)U) and values of the activity ratio (234)U/(238)U in soil samples collected near phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland). On the basis of the studies it was found that the values of the (234)U/(238)U activity ratio in the analyzed soils collected in the vicinity of phosphogypsum dump in Wiślinka are in most cases close to one and indicate the phosphogypsum origin of the analyzed nuclides. The obtained results of uranium concentrations are however much lower than in previous years before closing of the phosphogypsum stockpile.

Activity disequilibrium between U and U isotopes in natural environment.

The aim of this work was to calculate the values of the U/U activity ratio in natural environment (water, sediments, Baltic organisms and marine birds from various regions of the southern Baltic Sea; river waters (the Vistula and the Oder River); plants and soils collected near phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (Northern Poland) and deer-like animals from Northern Poland. On the basis of the studies it was found that the most important processes of uranium geochemical migration in the southern Baltic Sea ecosystem are the sedimentation of suspended material and the vertical diffusion from the sediments into the bottom water. Considerable values of the U/U are characterized for the Vistula and Oder Rivers and its tributaries.

A study on lead (210Pb) and polonium (210Po) contamination from phosphogypsum in the environment of Wiślinka (northern Poland).

The results of polonium ((210)Po) and lead ((210)Pb) determination in different environmental soil samples collected in the vicinity of the phosphogypsum stack in Wiślinka (northern Poland) are presented and discussed in this paper. The (210)Po and (210)Pb concentrations in soil samples from the phosphogypsum stack recorded in this study are significantly higher only in areas that are close to the heap. The relationship between atmospheric deposition and elevated analyzed radionuclides concentrations in top soil layers, especially in the vicinity of the phosphogypsum stack, was showed in this study.

Polonium Po activities in human blood of patients with ischaemic heart disease from Gdańsk in Poland.

The determination of polonium Po in human blood samples is presented and discussed in this paper. The human blood samples were collected from patients of Medical University of Gdańsk with ischaemic heart disease (, ). The polonium concentrations in analyzed human blood samples are very differentiated.

Polonium (²¹⁰Po), uranium (²³⁴U, ²³⁸U) isotopes and trace metals in mosses from Sobieszewo Island, northern Poland.

The activity of polonium (210)Po and uranium (234)U, (238)U radionuclides, as well as trace metals in mosses, collected from Sobieszewo Island area (northern Poland), were determined using the alpha spectrometry, AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry) and OES-ICP (atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma). The concentrations of mercury (directly from the solid sample) were determined by the cold vapor technique of CV AAS. The obtained results revealed that the concentrations of (210)Po, (234)U, and (238)U in the two analyzed kinds of mosses: schrebers big red stem moss (Pleurozium schreberi) and broom moss (Dicranum scoparium) were similar.

The radiochemical contamination (²¹⁰Po and ²³⁸U) of zone around phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland).

The aim of this work was the determination of the impact of phosphogypsum waste heap in Wiślinka (northern Poland) for radiological protection of zone around waste heap. These studies are very important for the estimation of natural alpha radionuclides contents in the vicinity of phosphogypsum waste heap and for environmental pollution assessment of this area. The process of bioaccumulation of radionuclides in interior plants parts prove to examine their origin sources, too.

Polonium, uranium and plutonium radionuclides in aquatic and land ecosystem of Poland.

This article presents the results of study about distribution, inflow and accumulation of polonium, uranium and plutonium in aquatic and land environment of Poland and the southern Baltic Sea. Radionuclides of (210)Po, (234)U and (238)U as well as (239+240)Pu and (241)Pu are strongly accumulated in Baltic organisms and plants and transferred through the trophic chain. The values of bioconcentration factor (BCF) in Baltic plants and animals are higher for polonium and plutonium in comparison with uranium.