Re: Toxic Trivia

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

	About 50 years ago, I had a great deal of experience with the
volatility of Po atoms produced in a cyclotron, one atom at a time. I can
testify that these Po atoms are extremely volatile, coating the walls of
the building and everything inside. Before leaving the
building, we had to spend a considerable effort on decontamination,
washing our hands with potassium permanganate and then citric acid.

Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu


On Wed, 9 Feb 2000, Philippe Duport wrote:

> Most of Po-218 atoms are born as positive ions from the decay of Rn-222 and
> are necessarily monoatomic.  Positive Po ions react with O2 to form PoO2+ or
> PoO+ and probably more complex molecules, but virtually none will contain
> more than member of the radon decay series.  In their way towards Pb-206, it
> seems unlikeley that clusters containing more than one radioactive atom of
> the decay series elements will ever form.  It seems unlikely that molecules
> containing only one atom of Po will coagulate to form a metallic mass.  In
> these conditions, is it appropriate to think of the volatility of molecules
> containing only one atom?
> 
> Philippe Duport
> pduport@home.com or pduport@uottawa.ca
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Al Tschaeche <antatnsu@pacbell.net>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 8:29 PM
> Subject: Re: Toxic Trivia
> 
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> > Franz Schoenhofer wrote:
> >
> > > It might be that polonium metal is very volatile, but I doubt (!!! this
> > > means that it is not possible) that it occurs in the metallic form in
> > > tobacco!
> > >
> >
> > Does anyone know the chemical form of polonium in tobacco in cigarettes?
> In the
> > smoke that is inhaled?  In the lungs after deposition?  Al Tschaeche
> > antatnsu@pacbell.net
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