Скачать или смотреть Radioactive Food, Smoking and Polonium-210

Let’s take a look at a specific example involving a radioactive isotope called polonium-210. This is an unstable element that decays to release alpha radiation. When outside of the body, this radiation doesn’t penetrate into the skin. The concentration of polonium-210 from natural sources is generally low so there is no harm to receive large radiation exposures. The presence of polonium-210 is due to naturally occurring Uranium in soils which decay into polonium-210. Additionally, it is also found in calcium phosphate fertilizers. Thus, many plants, foods and tobacco also contain polonium-210 in small amounts. For example, you can find polonium-210 on the leaves of spinach and broccoli. However, this doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. However, if you smoke cigarettes, then you’re aerosolizing the polonium-210 in the tobacco and inhaling it into your lungs. Watch this short video to learn more about the presence of polonium-210 in our environment, how it affects our food and our bodies, and the dangers of smoking.

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