title: Review of chemical and radiotoxicological properties of polonium for internal contamination purposes.
abstract: The discovery of polonium (Po) was first published in July, 1898 by P. Curie and M. Curie. It was the first element to be discovered by the radiochemical method. Polonium can be considered as a famous but neglected element: only a few studies of polonium chemistry have been published, mostly between 1950 and 1990. The recent (2006) event in which (210)Po evidently was used as a poison to kill A. Litvinenko has raised new interest in polonium. 2011 being the 100th anniversary of the Marie Curie Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the aim of this review is to look at the several aspects of polonium linked to its chemical properties and its radiotoxicity, including (i) its radiochemistry and interaction with matter; (ii) its main sources and uses; (iii) its physicochemical properties; (iv) its main analytical methods; (v) its background exposure risk in water, food, and other environmental media; (vi) its biokinetics and distribution following inhalation, ingestion, and wound contamination; (vii) its dosimetry; and (viii) treatments available (decorporation) in case of internal contamination.
authors.affiliation: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Direction à l'Energie Nucléaire, Département de Radiochimie des Procédés, Marcoule, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Ceze, France. eric.ansoborlo@cea.fr
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ansoborlo
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berard
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Den Auwer
authors.forename: Rich
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leggett
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Menetrier
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Younes
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montavon
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moisy
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D000818:Animals; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011059:Polonium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000266:history / Q000633:toxicity; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D008668:Metallothionein; D011059:Polonium