Russian spy radiation poisoning

pk014b7161 · 30-11-2006, 13:24

they govt keep stating there is no need for panic ,yet keep having meetings now the airlines want to contact so many thousand passengers if there is no need to panic ,why all this concern about radiation poisoning

SupraSteve · 30-11-2006, 13:29

The radiation that is believed to have brought about the Russian's death is only dangerous if ingested or breathed in. It's not strong enough to harm you even if you held it in your hand, hence needing to get inside a person to do them harm.

I was told last night that the airlines think that some of it may have got into in their on-board airconditioning units. For the record the risk of anyone being affected in any way is currently being stated as 'low'.

Quote:

"Radioactive traces have been found on two planes and a third is awaiting checks. British Airways is contacting 33,000 passengers from 221 flights.

But Mr Reid stressed that the health risk to the public was low."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6159363.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6159927.stm

Halibut · 30-11-2006, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk014b7161

they govt keep stating there is no need for panic ,yet keep having meetings now the airlines want to contact so many thousand passengers if there is no need to panic ,why all this concern about radiation poisoning

Because people are people and they like to have something to be scared of; Polonium210 is only harmful if it gets inside you - by eating it, breathing it in, drinking it or injecting it. The type of radiation it emits is stopped by something as thin as a piece of paper or human skin.
If anybody else but the unfortunate Mr Litvinenko was going to suffer any reaction they would done so by now.

angle20 · 30-11-2006, 13:36

Yes, just checking to be on the safe side - in relation to particular flights.

John Reid probably likes a good 'terrorism' scare, though, as we saw with his theatricals in the summer.

I find it hard to believe that the Russian government would do something of such a blatant nature which might potentially be traced back to them. Rather, there's a possibility that somebody is trying to frame President Putin.

pk014b7161 · 30-11-2006, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halibut

Because people are people and they like to have something to be scared of; Polonium210 is only harmful if it gets inside you - by eating it, breathing it in, drinking it or injecting it. The type of radiation it emits is stopped by something as thin as a piece of paper or human skin.
If anybody else but the unfortunate Mr Litvinenko was going to suffer any reaction they would done so by now.

this story has never been off sky news (that russian spy has been in our front room more times than me) it just seems to be never ending are the media just rehashing storylines for the sake of it. or is it me being a grumpy old man

SupraSteve · 30-11-2006, 14:31

Slow news day/bit of sensationalism to get viewing figures up?

Heyesey · 30-11-2006, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halibut

Because people are people and they like to have something to be scared of; Polonium210 is only harmful if it gets inside you - by eating it, breathing it in, drinking it or injecting it. The type of radiation it emits is stopped by something as thin as a piece of paper or human skin.
If anybody else but the unfortunate Mr Litvinenko was going to suffer any reaction they would done so by now.

Not only that, but it almost certainly wasn't radiation sickness that killed him; it was heavy metal poisoning, so far as I can tell from what's been reported.

The amount of radiation that some other person flying on these planes is likely to have received - if any at all - is about enough to increase your chances of contracting cancer at some point of your life, by about one billionth of one per cent. Of course, the mass media don't like statistics - they much prefer to shout "RADIATION!!! AAAARRGGHHHH!!!!!! YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!"

What a load of - errr, no, wait, this is a family forum.

JFKvsNixon · 30-11-2006, 14:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyesey
Not only that, but it almost certainly wasn't radiation sickness that killed him; it was heavy metal poisoning, so far as I can tell from what's been reported.

Alexander Litvinenko's death has been linked to a major dose of radioactive polonium-210 which was found in his body.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6190144.stm

Deepcarowl · 30-11-2006, 15:00

Does anyone know what actually happened to the crystal of Polonium after the guy ate it? Surely he must have passed it out which means that it is in the sewage system and could potentially get back into the water cycle doesnt it? Or does that just sound daft?!

JFKvsNixon · 30-11-2006, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepcarowl

Does anyone know what actually happened to the crystal of Polonium after the guy ate it? Surely he must have passed it out which means that it is in the sewage system and could potentially get back into the water cycle doesnt it? Or does that just sound daft?!

The polonium-210 doesn't "pass through", it gets absorbed by the body. Any waste produced by the body such as sweat, urine etc the may be dangourous only if ingested. Intrestingly polonium-210 is also present in tobacco. More information about polonium-210 is on the link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6181688.stm

Heyesey · 30-11-2006, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFKvsNixon

Alexander Litvinenko's death has been linked to a major dose of radioactive polonium-210 which was found in his body.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6190144.stm

Yes; and it appears to be the polonium that killed him, not the radioactive.

JFKvsNixon · 30-11-2006, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyesey

Yes; and it appears to be the polonium that killed him, not the radioactive.

To be honest it was the probably the hazardous alpha particles emited from polonium-210 that killed him.

Darbees · 30-11-2006, 15:33

Seems someone else has got whatever it is too
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...242600,00.html

JoeP · 30-11-2006, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyesey

Yes; and it appears to be the polonium that killed him, not the radioactive.

It's the alpha radiation - Polonium has no affinity for any particular tissues in the body, so it just dissolves in the bloodstream and just gets carted around all over the place, exposing the inner tissues of the body to the radiation continuously. There will be losses of the Polonium with time via excretion and it's own decay, but it's the damage inflicted by the alphas that causes the harm.

Alpha particles are very energetic; when they hit something they basically dump their energy in to the material they hit, which is why they're so destructive if they get in to the body.

There is a story (possibly apocryphal) about a technician who handled a lot of high level alpha emitters during the construction of the atom bomb in WW2. he was reported to have said that if he got a dorp of liquid containing such an element in to a cut on his hand he'd expect to lose jhis arm to save his life.

Halibut · 30-11-2006, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by pk014b7161

this story has never been off sky news (that russian spy has been in our front room more times than me) it just seems to be never ending are the media just rehashing storylines for the sake of it. or is it me being a grumpy old man

You being a grumpy old man? Perish the thought!

Betty1 · 30-11-2006, 15:53

Spare a thought for all the health care professionals who were in contact with him !

Darbees · 30-11-2006, 15:55

I must say I don't know why all the fuss, isn't this what is supposed to happen to spies and espionage agents? They will be telling us there's no such person as James Bond next thing we know.

Jabberwocky · 30-11-2006, 15:55

Its amazingly wide spread too isnt it? Theyre finding it all over the place now.

bladesufc1 · 30-11-2006, 15:56

here's the BBC UPDATE

Radiation 'found at 12 locations'

'Five planes'

'Very low levels'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6159927.stm

upinwath · 30-11-2006, 15:57

Wot - no muslims