Polonium 210 - The Facts

After the tragic death of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who claimed he was poisoned by the personal Agents of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the toxin that killed him, Polonium 210 has been thrown into the limelight of recent news. Traces of the toxin have been discovered at the Itsu sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, some areas of the Millennium Hotel in Grosvenor Square and at Mr Litvinenko's home in Muswell Hill, North London. The United Kingdom has been made aware of the toxin but has also been informed of the facts of Polonium 210:-

The toxin is 250-billion times more toxic than Cyanide, a microscopic amount is enough to kill numerous people, reportedly a number of such animals as Elephants too. It is taken into the digestive system where it is subjected to the gastric juices of the stomach and immedietly begins the biological destruction of the entire cellular make-up of the body. It is certain death to become contaminated with Polonium 210 at this time, though contamination can only become possible if the toxin is inserted directly into the body, by means of inhalation, touch, digestion/consumption and any other external methods of internal consumption. A person can literally hug another person who is infected with Polonium 210 and not become infected with the toxin as there is no direct route of external-to-internal consumption. Though such an act would not be preferable. The toxin is believed to be of no natural origin, instead it has to be created by means of chemical engineering.

Inquiries into the origins of the toxin and how it was administered to Alexander Litvinenko are still underway, both the UK and the Russian Governments are taking vital roles in the investigation.

There were unconfirmed claims that radiation had been discovered at a further two address in London. A West End office block and a building in Mayfair were reportedly being searched. Scotland Yard has refused to comment.

450 people who were in contact with Mr Litvinenko have contacted leading hospitals around London concerning fears that they may have been infected after contact with Mr Litvinenko, though only 3 out of the 450 that have contacted the hospitals have been taken in for testing.