Plutonium – not as deadly as assumed

Plutonium (Pu), since its discovery in 1940, is extensively used in military and in reactors for power generation. It is artificially produced in the nuclear reactors on absorption of a neutron by the Uranium-238 (U-238) atom and subsequent beta decay of the U-239 to Neptunium (Np-239) which further undergoes beta decay to form Pu-239. It is an excellent fissile material (which undergoes fission reaction to release energy) and hence can be used in the manufacture of nuclear devices.

However, whenever plutonium is mentioned in news media, the name of the element is preceded by adjectives such as “deadly” or “most dangerous”, lethal, etc. This is clear a matter of misinformation to sensationalise the news. It is well known that many workers, years ago, have inhaled plutonium in measurable quantities and have not suffered any serious ill effects. Plutonium, like other elements in Periodic Table such as Radium and Thorium and Uranium is radioactive and decay by alpha radiation emission. These radioactive elements are present in trace amounts in soil, food, water and in our bodies. Thorium is used in gas mantles.

Since plutonium is an artificially produced element, the exposure of the public to plutonium is not possible except in situations of nuclear accident or any terrorist attack using so-called Dirty Bombs containing plutonium. Plutonium is not much of a chemically toxic element, but its radioactivity per unit gram is high and hence it is a radiotoxic element. In case of any intakes involving insoluble plutonium compounds, the fraction absorbed by the body fluids is almost negligible and in case of intakes involving soluble compounds of plutonium compounds only a small fraction, of the order of 0.0001, is absorbed by the body and over time gets deposited in bone and liver. Inhalation of air contaminated with plutonium particles needs to be prevented, and in case of an emergency situation, even a simple respirator of the type used in hospitals will provide considerable protection against the inhalation hazard.