Polonium-210 and Cigarette Smoke

[Fenris]

I don't think most people are aware of this so read on. FYI Polonium 210 is a pure alpha emitter with a half life of 138 days, so you cant detect it with a Geiger. Polonium was what was used by the Russians to kill Alexander Litvinenko which is an interesting story in itself.

For those that are concerned about radiation, you get a (relatively) whopping dose just from smoking cigarettes. There is a fair amount of evidence that a large proportion of lung cancers (from smoking) are due to the radioactive elements in the smoke.

The Po210 is a decay product in the uranium chain which decays to stable lead, it appears that it gets into the tobacco via the fertilizer, although the soil it is grown in would have a lot to do with it as well

From

http://www.ncrponline.org/Learn_More/Did_You_Know_95.html

Polonium-210 and Cigarette Smoke

According to NCRP Report No. 95, Radiation Exposure of the U.S. Population from Consumer Products and Miscellaneous Sources (1987), deposition of ²¹⁰Po in the lungs of cigarette smokers results in an average annual dose equivalent of 0.16 Sv (16 rem) to the segmental bifurcations of the bronchial epithelium. Although the data necessary for converting this to an effective dose equivalent are not available, based on information given in Publication 32 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP, 1981) a weighting factor of 0.08 appears to be a reasonable estimate. This would yield an annual effective dose equivalent to the average smoker of about 13 mSv (1,300 mrem); the corresponding average population effective dose equivalent would be 2.8 mSv y^–1 (280 rnrem y^–1).

Had this approach been utilized, it would have resulted in tobacco products being the greatest contributor to the effective population dose equivalent of all consumer products. In fact, tobacco products probably would have been the greatest single contributor to the effective population dose equivalent of all radiation sources, including natural background sources and medical radiation [NCRP Report No. 93 summarizing exposures from all sources (NCRP, 1987a)].

Because of the widespread recognition that a high risk of lung cancer is associated with smoking, and because the effective dose equivalent from this source is likely to be so far in excess of that from any other consumer product, it would appear mandatory to call for more detailed monitoring and evaluation of the dose equivalent from this source. Studies indicate that smokers face a risk of fatal lung cancer of about 3 to 9 % while for nonsmokers the same risk is only about 0.5 % (Boice and Blot, 1986): The risk associated with an effective dose equivalent of 13 mSv y^–1 (1.3 rem y^–1) would, in 50 y, amount to about 1 %. This is evidently only a portion of the risk for smokers. Whether ²¹⁰Po is a contributing factor in the development of lung cancer (such as an initiator or promoter) can only be conjectured at this time.

Get the full report and references at: http://NCRPpublications.org

NCRP Report No. 93 is being updated by NCRP Scientific Committee 6-2, Radiation Exposure of the U.S. Population, including the information on radiation exposure from consumer products such as tobacco: http://www.ncrponline.org/Current_Prog/SC_6-2.html

[doxneed2c-me]

Ya the polonium is from the sea birds guano.

[Halcyon Daze]

There's also traces of other radioactive elements in the fertilisers they use. Nicotianas have sticky glands on their leaves and stalks which causes some of the fertiliser dust to stick. Traces of these radioactive substances eventually it make it into the finished product, not to mention all the nasties from the copious amounts of insecticide they use on tobacco crops.

Home grown style tobacco has been shown to cause cancer far less than the commercial stuff. Sorry for no links.