Thursday, 30 August 2012

Polonium 210

Polonium-210 is a radioactive material that emits highly hazardous alpha particles. It was first discovered by Madam Curie in 1898. It occurs naturally in the environment, but an amount large enough to kill a person can only be generated in a reactor.
This element is in the news because it is suspected that the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died due to radioactive poisoning by  polonium 210.

Source: The Hindu, 30th August 2012.

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