The alpha-radioactive polonium 210 (Po-210) is one of the most powerful carcinogenic agents of tobacco smoke and is responsible for the histotype shift of lung cancer from squamous cell type to adenocarcinoma. According to several studies, the principal source of Po-210 is the fertilizers used in tobacco plants, which are rich in polyphosphates containing radio (Ra-226) and its decay products, lead 210 (Pb-210) and Po-210. Tobacco leaves accumulate Pb-210 and Po-210 through their trichomes, and Pb-210 decays into Po-210 over time. With the combustion of the cigarette smoke becomes radioactive and Pb-210 and Po-210 reach the bronchopulmonary apparatus, especially in bifurcations of segmental bronchi. In this place, combined with other agents, it will manifest its carcinogenic activity, especially in patients with compromised mucous-ciliary clearance. Various studies have confirmed that the radiological risk from Po-210 in a smoker of 20 cigarettes per day for a year is equivalent to the one deriving from 300 chest X-rays, with an autonomous oncogenic capability of 4 lung cancers per 10000 smokers. Po-210 can also be found in passive smoke, since part of Po-210 spreads in the surrounding environment during tobacco combustion. Tobacco manufacturers have been aware of the alpha-radioactivity presence in tobacco smoke since the sixties.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/860103 | DOI Listing |
J Environ Radioact
December 2024
German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Germany.
The final disposal of NORM wastes in conventional landfill generally determines problems of acceptance by the landfill operators, since their willingness to accept Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) is often limited due to their concern about the radiological risks and reluctance of the local community to have at local landfills material that despite being cleared is still perceived as 'radioactive'. In order to raise awareness among landfill operators, and also among other stakeholders on the actual radiological risk of exempted or cleared NORM wastes, it is of interest to estimate the mass of annual wastes containing NORM that can be disposed of in a landfill for conventional waste complying with the annual dose criterion of 1 mSv. A methodology was developed considering a hypothetical homogeneous large landfill and assuming that NORM wastes are delivered with an initial activity concentration of 1 kBq kg.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Environ Radioact
June 2024
College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, PR China.
Among environment contaminants, Pb and Po have gained significant research attention due to their radioactive toxicity. Moss, with its exceptional adsorption capability for these radionuclides, serves as an indicator for environmental Pb and Po pollution. The paper reviews a total of 138 articles, summarizing the common methods and analytical results of Pb and Po research in moss.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBull Environ Contam Toxicol
January 2024
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, Vezneciler, Istanbul, 34134, Türkiye.
Airborne particulate matter is one of the air pollutants which can have detrimental health effects in the human body. Radionuclides adsorb onto air particles and make their way to humans primarily through inhalation. Naturally-occurring radionuclides, Pb and Po, are of notable health concern due to their relatively elevated ingestion and inhalation doses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAppl Radiat Isot
January 2024
Ural Federal University, Department of Radiochemistry and Applied Ecology, 19, Mira Street, Yekaterinburg, 620002, Russia.
The work describes an isotope generator of polonium-210 based on an extraction chromatographic resin SR Resin. It was shown that a high selectivity of 4,4'(5')-di-t-butylcyclohexano-18-crown-6, an active component of SR Resin, for lead allows a clear separation of Pb-210 from impurities, easy elution of Po-210 with 5-7 mL of 0.05 M nitric acid solution as well as good retention of Pb-210 in the generator.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Total Environ
September 2023
Department of Environmental Science and Geology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, United States of America. Electronic address:
A suite of road sediment and soil samples from a post-industrial city (Detroit, MI) were collected and analyzed for atmospherically-delivered Pb, Po, Be along with Ra and Cs in the bulk and size-fractionated solid samples. From the measured atmospheric depositional fluxes of Be, Po, and Pb, the initial Po/Pb activity ratio was quantified. In all samples, there is disequilibrium between Po and Pb, with a Po/Pb activity ratio (AR) of <1.
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