Polonium-210 (Po-210) is a radioactive element that can seriously harm a person if enough of it is inhaled, swallowed, or enters through a wound. It is not a hazard on intact skin: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says neither polonium nor its radiation passes through unbroken skin or membranes. Ordinary environmental traces should not be confused with a significant exposure.
What polonium-210 is
Po-210 occurs naturally in the environment at very low levels. The CDC identifies it as part of the uranium-238 and radon decay chain. Its physical half-life—the time for half of a quantity to decay radioactively—is 138 days, according to the CDC’s fact sheet updated July 27, 2026. CDC: Polonium-210
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When Po-210 can harm a person
The main danger is internal contamination. Po-210 emits alpha particles, which can damage cells when the material is inside the body. Exposure can occur by breathing contaminated material, swallowing it, or having it enter through a wound. In contrast, intact skin blocks Po-210 and its radiation. The CDC states: “Po-210 is not a hazard to the outside of the body—neither polonium nor its radiation will go through unbroken skin or membranes.”
Careful washing can remove most radioactive material on the outside of the body, according to the CDC. That does not establish whether any material was inhaled or swallowed, and washing is not a test or treatment for internal uptake. CDC: Polonium-210
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What happens after internal uptake
What happens depends on the amount and route of exposure. A large internal exposure can cause serious symptoms or death; prolonged moderate exposure can increase long-term cancer risk. General information cannot determine an individual’s dose, health effects, or prognosis.
CDC clinician guidance says much of swallowed Po-210 passes through the gastrointestinal tract and leaves in feces. The portion retained can enter the bloodstream and concentrate in soft tissues. Its approximate distribution estimates are based on clinician guidance, not a way to calculate an individual exposure:
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- About 45% of ingested material may be found in the spleen, kidneys, and liver.
- Around 10% may be found in bone marrow.
- The remainder is distributed through the body.
The CDC’s clinician page, reviewed April 16, 2024, distinguishes three half-lives. Physical decay is about 140 days (the rounded equivalent of the 138-day figure); biological elimination from the body is about 50 days; and the effective half-life, which combines radioactive decay with biological elimination, is about 40 days. These are approximate reference figures, not a personal exposure calculator. CDC clinician guidance: Polonium-210
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Po-210 and lead-210 can get onto tobacco leaves, including from high-phosphate fertilizers, and remain after processing. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, radioactive and other toxic substances enter the lungs; the CDC says Po-210 and lead-210 can accumulate in smokers’ lungs. This is one exposure context, not evidence that Po-210 accounts for smoking’s overall health toll. The CDC reports more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States from smoking and secondhand smoke exposure overall; that figure is not a Po-210-specific death estimate. CDC: About smoking and tobacco use
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What to do if you think you were exposed
If you have a specific concern about possible Po-210 exposure, contact your state health department. The CDC says some laboratories in the United States can test urine, and the health department can advise whether testing is appropriate. Testing availability is not universal, and general facts about Po-210 cannot confirm or rule out an individual exposure. CDC: Polonium-210
If there is a radiation emergency, follow instructions from emergency officials. CDC guidance for radiation emergencies recommends removing radioactive material from the body as soon as possible; seek official direction rather than relying on consumer equipment or attempting to assess internal contamination yourself. CDC: Decontamination
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