[ RadSafe ] Was Interesting Proposed Cigarette ProductWarning Labels

[Harry Reynolds]

I believe most of the Po-210 in tobacco comes from the radon gas
escaping the soil under the leaves which then decays to the short lived
Po-218 which attaches to and builds up on the underside of the leaf and
decays to Po-210.  I think the fertilizer contribution to dose in
tobacco is primarily K-40 along with some uranium/radium/thorium.

Can someone confirm or counter this?


Harry Reynolds
ASRSO
ENERGYSOLUTIONS
801-649-2219 Desk
801-349-9036 Cell 

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of George Andrews
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 7:51 PM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Was Interesting Proposed Cigarette ProductWarning
Labels

Dan,

That is a very good question! I should have said products rather than
product.

The radionuclide depends on the origin of the plant material. What is
the radionuclide content of the soil the plant grows in? Is the
radioactive material taken up by the plant? If so how is it incorporated
in the plant structure (does it go to the parts that get smoked?) Are
the plants fertilized? I believe the radionuclide content in tobacco
comes from the fertilizer. I am not a botanist, so I don't know the
answers to some of these questions. I think there is a probabilty that
any mass produced plant crop is fertlized with something, similar to
tobacco crops. Maybe someone on the list has more knowledge of this
subject than I.

George Andrews

----- Original Message -----
From: "McClung, Danny" <Danny.McClung2 at va.gov>
To: <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Interesting Proposed Cigarette ProductWarning
Labels


> What is the radionuclide content of that "other smoking product" as 
> compared to cigarette tobacco?
>
> Dan McClung
> Dept of Veterans Affairs
> ----------------------
> Sent using BlackBerry
>
>

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