2 ms·
For ingestion, a median lethal dose is around 238 μCi or 50 nanograms. [1] The article doesn't specify exactly how much Polonium is in these, but offers hints:
by Maursault 5y ago
For ingestion, a median lethal dose is around 238 μCi or 50 nanograms. [1] The article doesn't specify exactly how much Polonium is in these, but offers hints:
> The beads, approximately 20 to 60 um in diameter
But how many?
> The Po-210 activity is often on the order of 200 to 500 uCi at the time of manufacture, but this activity decreases quickly according to the 138 day half-life of Po-210.
Sounds like if the product was new, and Polonium harvested, there might be enough there to kill one or two people, if ingested, except...
> the polonium is bound up in a ceramic matrix so that it should not be assimilated if the spheres were ingested
A little moisture also defeats static, but it would be reckless and irresponsible to try and put that in an anti-static product.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvinenko#Poison https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_of_Alexander_Litvine...
- cperciva 5y agoThe polonium being bound in a ceramic matrix protects it from accidental release, but it's easy enough to extract it deliberately.