Alexander Litvinenko is believed to be the first known person to have died as a result of being administered a lethal radioactive cocktail of polonium 210.
Investigators reckon it may have been smuggled into Britain. It can easily be carried around in a bottle without any risk, yet it is 250 billion times deadlier than cyanide and a particle the size of a speck of dust is all that is 
needed to kill someone.
The most likely method would be to slip it into someone’s drink or sprinkle it on their food to ensure it was digested, killing off each of the internal organs.
As we know from Alexander, it was not an instant death, but slow and agonising, despite being a billion times more radioactive than uranium.
The only known use for polonium 210 is in nuclear bomb triggers and as a heat or power source in satellites and moon buggies.
Polonium 210 is a most desirable weapon for terrorists who could easily smuggle it through our airports in an inconspicuous looking bottle. It could have terrifying consequences if terrorists administered it to our water system. I fear this is the weapon of the future that we should fear due to the ease with which it can escape detection and airport security, that it is visibly insignificant – yet could cause the most horrific death tolls. How do we protect ourselves against this weapon of mass destruction?
At risk of sounding as though I am on your case, the only use of polonium 210 is not in nukes. It also makes a pretty crummy power source for satellites because its half life is so short – it was used in a few early lunar rovers but only because the polonium was there to deliver power for a short time.
Polonium 210 is surprisingly widely available, just not in a form that’s readily deliverable. It’s used in anti-static devices for large printing presses and even photocopiers, and turns up in anti-static brushes for cleaning photographic lenses. There are even trace amounts in tobacco (although the length of time it takes to dry the leaf means that most of it will turn to lead by the time it gets smoked).
Smuggling polonium 210 in its pure form is not as easy as it seems. Any quantity measured in grams probably would burn a hole straight through the bag thanks to its rapid decay.
Chris, So how do you think it was smuggled into the country? From what I’ve read, it could easily be carried around in a bottle at no risk, is that not the case? And the person administering it would need to take safety precautions himself to ensure he wasn’t harmed, what would that involve?
Scarier and scarier! I haven’t read the papers yet so I don’t understand all the scientific details but it seems to me that we just can’t protect ourselves against every substance that might be smuggled in. Well, I suppose we could, but we are going to make travelling very unpleasant for ourselves. We have got to tackle terrorism in other ways. I have just read Melane Phillips’ book and although I don’t agree with all of it, I think she has some good suggestions in her closing chapters. This incident wasn’t terrorism, let’s remember, though it was just as despicable: it was cold-blooded murder of a specific target.
The trouble is, Ellie, if illegal immigrants can get into this country with so much ease, terrorists with potentially dangerous small weapons can do the same.
Borders need to be strengthened for the above reasons; what needs to happen before they are?
Radioactive materials don’t have legs or wings. To get this stuff into Central London you need a will, money and most important – people who can issue an order and fulfil this order.
Have a closer look at the community of rich Russian ‘political’ emigrants. Are they as good and innocent as they say? Are they democrats or do they care about Russia and people of Russia? Are you sure, that there are no murderers amongst them?
If you allow to hide in your country thugs and killers, then you have to be ready that sooner or later they will bring all the horrors of their world to yours. That what happened when you gave an asylum to Abu-Hamza. Now it is happening again – in much sinister way.
Saving the Chelsea FC is a good thing for British economy as well as keeping property market hot, but there are attachments. Some times radioactive.
Chris Edwards: The 210 istotope of Polonium is an alpha-emitter, which means the radiation emission consistes of electrons. These have neglible mass and velocity (compared with, say, protons or neutrons) and have extremely weak penetrative force. For example they are withheld by the surface of the skin, or a sheet of paper. That is why the stuff has to be actually ingested (or inhaled) to have is toxic effect.
Its use a sa poison would therefore be somewhat limited but I suppose a terrorist could contaminate a water supply or use it in a “dirty bomb”.
nfb brilliant comment or as we would say some like it hot! Our security services must be getting very brown pants by now.
Ellee, you need to stay abreast of developments. There is a good chance it was not at all like it’s being presented here. I’ve posted on this in the last hour. Mr. Litvinenko is becoming murkier as time passes.
James, Does it depend which country you are in? Of course, there are always two sides to every story, I shall now check out your report.
I’ve checked out James’ post and he is highlighting a ludicrous suggestion that has been raised about Alexander committed suicide, and has accused right wing bloggers of siding with Muslim extremists. Sorry James, I don’t agree. He says:
“Putin is doing precisely what these blogs are calling for – cracking down on extremism and being vilified by the bloggers for doing what they ask for.”
I’ve never made comments along those lines. But, however, I did agree with James’ remark that nothing is straightforward in Russia.
P.S. I will admit to feeling some unease over part of Alexander’s deathbed statement, If I was dying, I don’t think I would mention words like “distinctly hearing the beating wings of the angel of death.”
nfb, I’m intrigued by your statement about Chelsea FC, can you elaborate please?
Ellee, please, read biography of Roman Abramovich, Boris Berezovsky and others, who reside now in UK. Not nice at all.
They allowed to live in UK, because they are extremely wealthy. But how they did acquire their money? By criminal activities. Which means a lot of them won’t live for long. And others unfortunate, like Litvinenko – too.
By the way, the Litvinenko’s statement is in good English. But Litvinenko spoke BROKEN English. He wasn’t fluent in this language at all! How come mentioning these ‘wings of the angel of death’?
nfb, I do understand what you mean about the murkey background of those two Russians. From what you are saying, they have made a lot of enemies and will be killed too, perhaps like Litvinenko? That would really be too shocking after what has just happend, I cannot believe it.
As I said before, the part of Alexander’s statement about “wings of the angel of death” did not seem very plausible to me.
What I’m saying,is that anyone in this group could be a murderer. They have made a lot of enemies but they are also enemies to somebody else.
By the way, Litvinenko was involved in killings too – in Russia.
I was going to write an article trying to allay fears over this, but then did some calculations then stopped.
The saving grace is that only 100 grams are produced anualy. In that sense it is both rare and expensive.
RE Jim, Alpha emitters emit an alpha particle which is two protons and two neutorns. Effectively a helium atom with no electrons. You are thinking of a beta particle.
If you had a 1 gram lump of it it would get very hot very quickly. There are ways around this, but I would rather not explain.
Benedict, Great minds, hey, but I still think it is an issue worth debating.
Ellee, The concern is why is someone running around with what amounts to a halmarked platinum bullet, or rather spraying them around from a machine gun.
Whilst polonium 210 does have industrial uses (particularly in controling static) it is very rare and it is highly unusual to find someone running around with quite so much.
I doubt terrorists could get hold of sufficient quantities for a sensible price, but then someone has.
Ellee, it seems odd that a unique method was used to kill Litvinenko rather than a more ‘traditional’ way.
Whoever planned this murder must have been able to foresee the media coverage that such a poisoning would provoke given they were able to access Polonium-210.
You speak of symptoms, but what’s illness? Excuse me, but living in Estonia I often feel me like looking into my fathers very anxious face 1938, when UK was jubilating of this little piece of paper in mr. Eden hands, returned from Munic and declearing solemny “I brought to you peace1”
Thought American Elements’ website (www.americanelements.com)would a useful resource–info on Po 210 and 100s of other Isotopes, Nanomaterials, etc. (Disclaimer: I’m an engineer with the company!)
Hearing the “beating of the wings of the angel of death” is a reference to a legal precedent describing that state of mind that a person must have to make a “dieing declaration” such that the statement will be admissible in court as an exception to the rule against hearsay. Such statements typically describe the identity of a soon to be killer, i.e. “Joey shot me.” The choice of words was not accidental or for poetic effect.
[…] It’s also scary that deadly radioactive polonium 201 can easily escape detection and arrive at our airports unchecked. […]