Go ahead and put that chew in. Go ahead, I want you to have a little context while we discuss what it is that you just did.
Polonium-210 (Po-210) is a radioactive material that occurs naturally in the earthÂ’s crust.
Similar to bananaÂ’s and their affinity for potassium-40, tobacco has an affinity for Polonium. That means that the plant will naturally absorb the nuclide whereas other plants wonÂ’t.
Now here is the interesting part, Po-210 emits alpha particles. Of all the radioactive particles, the alpha particle is the largest, has the highest charge, and does the most biological damage.
Because of its large mass and high charge, it is stopped by the clothes that you wear or even your skin. So itÂ’s a radiation hazard
only if it is taken into the body through breathing or eating.
Polonium has a half-life of 138 days. That means that after 138 days, you will still have half of what you just ingested.
Much of Po-210 is passed through feces, although the remaining amounts that enter the bloodstream can concentrate in organs such as the
spleen, kidneys, and liver.
And you thought oral cancer was the only risk; think again. You canÂ’t pull your spleen out and look at it to see if youÂ’ve been chewing too much the way you can look at your lip or gums in the mirror.
Ready to spit that dip out and quit for real now?
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/polonium-210.htmhttps://www3.epa.gov/radtown/tobacco.html
