12 September 2008

STATEMENT ON POLONIUM 210

Polonium 210 is ubiquitous. It is present in the air, the soil and ground water. All plants can absorb miniscule amounts of Polonium 210 from the soil and water, or from particles deposited from the air.
 
Tobacco is a plant and therefore can contain miniscule amounts of Polonium 210, which is also present in many types of cereal, fruit and vegetables. (e.g. cabbage, lettuce, carrot, onion, potato, raspberry, strawberry, oats, wheat).

Background Notes

In the wake of recent media coverage of the radioactive substance Polonium 210 certain commentators have been pointing out that Polonium 210 is to be found in tobacco smoke and that tobacco manufacturers are well aware of this fact. This is true and Polonium 210 is also to be found in air, drinking water and food.

Polonium 210 is generally produced by the radioactive decay of radon in the atmosphere where it can be transported over long distances in the air, before being deposited in particles or by rain.  Broad-leaved plants such as brassicas and tobacco can have small amounts of Polonium particles deposited on their plant surfaces.  All plants can also take up low levels of Polonium 210 that are present in soil and/or water.

Food ingestion represents the major source of naturally occurring Polonium 210 intake and while low levels of this substance can also be detected in cigarette smoke the amount obtained through smoking is within the range of that provided within the normal diet.

Data from an Illinois study1 indicated that, in the case of an adult male smoker, 77.3% of daily intake is supplied by food, 4.7% by water, 0.6% from air and 17.1% from the inhalation of cigarette smoke.

Therefore is to acknowledge on Polonium 210 the presence of this naturally occurring substance in tobacco smoke and to stress that this must be seen in the context of its ubiquitous nature. It is not possible for any person in the normal course of events to avoid the intake of Polonium 210.

As far as smoking is concerned the consistent public health message for decades has been that smoking generally is associated with real risk of serious diseases. The only way to be certain of avoiding the risks associated with smoking is not to smoke.

1 Spencer, H; Holtzman, RB; Kramer, L and Ilcewicz, FH, 1977, “Metabolic balances of 210Pb and 210Po at natural levels,” Radiat. Res. (69(1): 166-184.