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Polonium-210

Polonium-210 is a radioactive isotope that occurs in small amounts in nature and can be made in a 

nuclear reactor. It has limited uses, mainly in static eliminators. Polonium occasionally makes the news 

because of its use as a poison. Polonium was blamed for the Nov. 23, 2006, death in London of the 

Russian Alexander Litvinenko. It has also been mentioned as a possible cause of Yassar Arafat’s death.

Polonium was discovered by Marie Curie in 1898; she later named it for her homeland of Poland. 

Though rare, it is found in tobacco, and in the soil and air. For industrial purposes, it is produced in 

milligram amounts in nuclear reactors. Only about 100 grams (a little more than 3 ounces) is believed to 

be produced worldwide each year. Licensed distributors import a very small amount of polonium-210 

into the U.S. each year.

Potential Hazards

Polonium-210 emits alpha radiation, which cannot penetrate paper or skin, so external exposure 

does not pose a health risk. It decays quickly, losing half its radiation in 138 days (its half-life). The 

radioactivity decays away in about two-and-a-half years. In its most common form, most polonium-210 

would likely pass through the system without being absorbed.

Pure polonium-210 must be handled very carefully. If swallowed or inhaled, this form can be fatal 

in very small amounts. Once absorbed into the body it can be many times more toxic than cyanide. The 

alpha radiation can rapidly destroy major organs, DNA and the immune system.

Industrial Uses

Polonium-210 is used in manufacturing in devices 

that eliminate static. These devices are designed to meet 

tough NRC standards and pose no threat to public health or 

safety. The isotope is combined with silver or other metals 

in a foil mounted inside a protective cage. The design must

be approved by the NRC or a state agency. The design and 

construction make it highly unlikely someone could 

ingest the radioactive source during normal operation.

Most static elimination devices used in industry are

regulated by the NRC as “generally licensed devices.” This

means that manufacturers and distributors are licensed by the
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NRC or state regulatory agencies. Customers who purchase the 

devices become “general licensees” and must comply with NRC 

or state regulations regarding their safe storage, operation and 

disposal.

Small polonium-210 sources can also be used to check

or calibrate instruments. These sources have 0.1 microcurie of

radioactivity—an extremely small amount that exempts them 

from needing an NRC license.

Anyone who has an exempt quantity is expected to

handle the source using appropriate radiation safety precautions

and not attempt to remove the radioactive material. The safety measures are explained in a brochure 

provided with the source.

Polonium-210 as a poison

The chance of someone getting hold of a lethal dose of polonium-210 is very small. Both the form 

and amount of radiation in exempt sources mean they would pose no health problem if ingested. It would 

take tens of thousands of these sources to make a fatal dose. It would be extremely difficult—requiring 

sophisticated lab work—to extract the polonium-210 and render it in a form that could be used to harm 

someone. It would also be hazardous and expensive and would violate NRC regulations.

April 2024