Polonium is lethal when swallowed, with the power to destroy the human body's DNA.
The radioactive element that killed ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, polonium-210, is deadly even in minute amounts: Less than 1 gram (0.04 ounces) of the silver powder — if ingested — is sufficient to kill.
But because polonium emits alpha particles — large particles that cannot penetrate beyond the outer layers of the skin — it is relatively safe to transport. And because the alpha rays emitted by polonium are non-penetrating, they do not set off radiation monitors — making it possible that the element was smuggled into Britain easily.
Radioactive elements such as polonium have the ability to destroy molecules in living cells, altering their DNA — which is believed to make them more susceptible to becoming cancerous.
Polonium also lingers on surfaces, up to eight months after initial contact.
Polonium — like all radioactive substances — is found naturally in the environment: in the air, water, food, soil, and in all living organisms. All humans are exposed to some degree of radiation, as well as from X-rays taken for medical purposes. But polonium also is produced artificially in nuclear reactors, mainly used in devices to eliminate static electricity.
Russia has used polonium in its space program.
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