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.

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.

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.

Po and Pb in forest mushrooms of genus Leccinum and topsoil from northern Poland and its contribution to the radiation dose.

Wild growing mushrooms are traditional food items for man and also an important source of nutrients for small and big wildlife. Nevertheless, they can be species - specifically vulnerable for contamination with heavy metals and radionuclides. We studied a less known phenomenon of accumulation of highly toxic, the alpha-radiation emitter such as Po and the beta emitter Pb by three Leccinum mushrooms: orange oak bolete L.

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.

Determination of Po and Pb in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum): bioconcentration and possible related dose assessment.

The paper presents the studies on Po and Pb activity determination in red-capped scaber (Leccinum aurantiacum (Bulliard) Gray) collected in northern Poland. The aims of the studies were to determine Po and Pb content in analyzed mushrooms, evaluate the bioconcentration levels, and estimate possible related annual effective radiation dose to mushrooms consumers. The activities of Po and Pb in red-capped scaber were un-uniform and depended on sampling sites.

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.

Radiolead (210)Pb and (210)Po/(210)Pb activity ratios in dogs' hair.

The aim of this study was to determine activity concentrations of radiolead (210)Pb as well as (210)Po/(210)Pb activity ratios in dog hair. The objectives of this research were also to investigate the utility of domestic animal hair as a noninvasive indicator of metal exposure for radiotoxic, naturally occurring (210)Pb and find the correlations between (210)Pb concentration in hair and age, gender, hair type or diet of analyzed animals. The highest (210)Pb concentrations were measured in a 2-year-old Shih Tzus (9.

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.

Characterization of (241)Pu occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation in seabirds from northern Eurasia.

The paper presents unique data of plutonium (241)Pu study in seabirds from northern Eurasia, permanently or temporally living at the southern Baltic Sea coast. Together, ten marine birds species were examined, as follows: three species that permanently reside at the southern Baltic, four species of wintering birds, and three species of migrating birds; 366 samples were analyzed. The obtained results indicated plutonium was non-uniformly distributed in organs and tissues of analyzed seabirds.

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.

Pu in the biggest Polish rivers.

In the paper the results of Pu activity concentration determination in the biggest Polish rivers are presented. The analysis of more than 100 river water samples showed the Vistula and the Odra as well as three Pomeranian Rivers are important sources of Pu in the southern Baltic Sea. There were differences in Pu activities depending on season and sampling site and the plutonium contamination came mainly from the global atmospheric fallout as well as the Chernobyl accident, which is confirmed by plutonium activity ratios of Pu/Pu and Pu/Pu.

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 inflow of 238Pu and (239+240)Pu from the Odra and Pomeranian rivers catchments area to the Baltic Sea.

The aim of the work was to estimate plutonium inflow from the Odra River catchments area to the Baltic Sea. The highest activities of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu were observed in a winter and a spring season. The highest annual surface inflow of (239+240)Pu from the Odra River watershed was observed for a mountain tributary the Bóbr (1230 Bq km(-2) year(-1)).

Plutonium fractionation in southern Baltic Sea sediments.

In this study, different chemical plutonium fractions (dissolved in water, connected to carbonates, connected to oxides, complexed with organic matter, mineral acids soluble and the rest) in sediments from the Vistula River estuary, the Gdańsk Basin and the Bornholm Deep were determined. The distribution of (239+240)Pu in analysed sediments samples was not uniform but dependent on its chemical form, depth and the sediment geomorphology. The highest amount of plutonium exists in middle parts of sediments and comes from the global atmospheric fallout from nuclear tests in 1958-1961.

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.

Plutonium bioaccumulation in seabirds.

The aim of the paper was plutonium (²³⁸Pu and ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu) determination in seabirds, permanently or temporarily living in northern Poland at the Baltic Sea coast. Together 11 marine birds species were examined: 3 species permanently residing in the southern Baltic, 4 species of wintering birds and 3 species of migrating birds. The obtained results indicated plutonium is non-uniformly distributed in organs and tissues of analyzed seabirds.

The inflow of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu from the Vistula River catchment area to the Baltic Sea.

The aim of the work was to estimate plutonium inflow from the Vistula River's catchments area to the Baltic Sea. There were differences in plutonium activities depending on season and sampling site. The highest activities of (238)Pu and (239+240)Pu were transported from the Vistula River watershed to the Baltic Sea in spring and the lowest in summer.