Chemical properties of polonium – Health effects of polonium – Environmental effects of polonium. Polonium. Polonium is a radioactive, extremely rare semi-metal. It is reactive, silvery-gray, it dissolves in dilute acids, but it is only slightly soluble in alkalis.
Which is the most dangerous isotope of polonium?
Purified polonium is very volatile, and polonium isotopes are radioactive. The most common and best-known polonium isotope is polonium-210. This material is highly dangerous, but it has a relatively short half-life. As a result, it ceases to be dangerous relatively quickly.
How long does it take for polonium 210 to decay?
It decays quickly, losing half its radiation in 138 days (its half-life). The radioactivity decays away in about two-and-a-half years. In its most common form, most polonium-210 would likely pass through the system without being absorbed. Pure polonium-210 must be handled very carefully.
