Polonium-210 killed former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, but the risk that other passengers may have been exposed to the deadly radioactive material is low, health officials said Thursday.
On Wednesday, British Airways sidelined three Boeing 767 short-haul aircraft after traces of radiation were found on two of the planes during the British government?s investigation into Litvinenko?s death.
Classified as particle radiation, the deadliest form of radiation, polonium-210 generally is manufactured in nuclear facilities. Handling the dangerous material requires specialized equipment.
Minuscule quantities of polonium-210 are found in everyday items such as spark plugs, static-cling deterrents and cigarettes. However, a slightly larger amount of polonium-210 can be fatal if inhaled, ingested or placed on an open wound.
As long as polonium-210 does not penetrate the skin, it is not considered a radiological hazard, and the risk to the public in the British Airways case is extremely low, said Laura Herrera, chief medical officer for the Baltimore City Health Department. Most traces of radiation can be eliminated by washing your hands, body and clothes after coming into contact with it.
The highly radioactive substance causes severe internal damage when body tissues absorb the toxic energy. Radioactive materials attack tissues such as the lining of the lower intestine, leaving the body susceptible to major infections.
Those exposed to the substance do not usually display effects immediately. According to local health officials, symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, recurrent infections, hair loss and sore mouth and throat from dehydration.
High doses of radiation in high-energy forms like polonium-210 can kill an exposed person within a few days or months.
“There?s nothing you can do for high doses beyond good medical care and antibiotics,” said William Morgan, director of Radiation Oncology Research Laboratory at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Low-dose exposures can cause cancer as well as malformations in children ? even if in utero during the exposure. “With low doses, it would be extremely difficult to know if you?ve been exposed to radiation. Someone could scatter radioactive material everywhere and you would never know you?ve been exposed to it,” Morgan said.
The severity of symptoms and illness depends on the type and amount of radiation, the duration of the exposure and the body areas exposed.
Electromagnetic radiation ? used during X-rays ? and mechanical radiation are less life-threatening forms. The currently inactive Boeings were operated in Europe from Oct. 25 to Nov. 29. The airline is contacting customers who traveled on the affected flights.
British Airways? passengers who believe they have been exposed to polonium-210 should consult a medical professional. Decay products from the rare toxic element would be found in their urine if contaminated.
