The polonium-210 poisoning of Mr Alexander Litvinenko

Abstract

Mr Litvinenko died on 23 November 2006 after having been poisoned with polonium-210 on 1 November. Measurements of the polonium-210 content of post-mortem tissue samples and samples of urine and blood showed the presence of large amounts of Po. Autoradiography of hair samples showed two regions ofPo activity, providing evidence of an earlier poisoning attempt during October 2006, resulting in absorption to blood of about one-hundredth of that estimated for 1 November. Intake by ingestion on 1 November was estimated to be around 4 GBq, assuming 10% absorption to blood, and the resulting organ doses reached estimated values that were generally in a range from about 20 Gy to over 100 Gy. Comparison with estimates of protracted alpha particle doses required to cause irreversible organ damage supported the conclusion that death was the inevitable consequence of multiple organ failure, with destruction of the haemopoietic bone marrow, as well as damage to kidneys and liver, being important contributors. If the earlier poisoning during October 2006 had not been followed by a second major intake on 1 November, it is possible that the earlier intake of around 40 MBq, with absorption of 4 MBq to blood, might have caused irreversible kidney damage over a prolonged period of months or years, with doses of approaching 3 Gy.

Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies: Biological Effects, Countermeasures and Biodosimetry

“…In the Goiania accident, four deaths were recorded, 250 people suffered contamination, 62 of them were administered a radionuclide scavenger (Prussian blue), whereas more than 112,000 individuals were radiologically observed, and 3000 m 3 of radioactive wastes was generated ( , accessed on 15 December 2021). Another significant radiological event was that of the 210 Po poisoning of Aleksandr Litvinenko in 2006 [ 11 ], which required follow up of the polonium pollution and screening of more than 750 individuals for their likely internal contamination, thus requiring a huge coordinated effort [ 12 ].…”

Collateral contamination concomitant to the polonium-210 poisoning of Mr Alexander Litvinenko

“…Mr Litvinenko died three weeks after ingestion of an amount of 210 Po estimated as around 4 GBq (400 MBq absorbed to blood). Death was the inevitable outcome of the radiation doses estimated to have been received by Mr. Litvinenko's red bone marrow, kidneys and liver (Nathwani et al 2016, Harrison et al 2017. Bone marrow failure is likely to have been an important contributory cause of death occurring within a few weeks of intake, as a component of multiple organ failure.…”

“…Autoradiography of hair samples from Mr Litvinenko provided evidence of an earlier intake of 210 Po during October 2006 at a level of around 1% of the major intake on 1 st November. As discussed by Harrison et al (2017), it is possible in principle that an intake by ingestion at this 1% level, of around 40 MBq (4 MBq absorbed to blood), could have proved fatal over a period of months or years, assuming that no medical intervention was instituted. Animal data reviewed by Harrison et al (2007) showed death occurring over a period of a few years as a result primarily of kidney damage at doses averaging around 1.5 Gy, which compares with an estimated kidney dose to Mr Litvinenko from the first intake, if the second intake had not occurred, of a maximum of approaching 3 Gy.…”

“…The case has been the subject of a criminal investigation and a public inquiry chaired by Sir Robert Owen that reported on 21 st January 2016 (www.litvinenkoinquiry.org). The clinical case history has recently been published (Nathwani et al 2016), with separate publication of associated details of assessments of intake of 210 Po, organ doses and consequent rapid decline in physiological function leading to death (Harrison et al 2017). The results presented by Harrison et al (2017) include evidence of a previous poisoning attempt during October 2006.…”

A preliminary study of rapid measurements of aqueous 210Po by accelerator mass spectrometry

“…12,13 Human acute exposure to 210 Po increases the risk of cancer, 13 and in 2006, 210 Po was implicated in a poisoning incident that received substantial international attention. 14–17 In general, the activities of 210 Po and its progenitor 210 Pb, are often monitored together in environmental samples for exposure risk assessments. 1,2,18,19…”