Letters to the Editor

Who poisoned the KGB agent? Only a state with a highly sophisticated nuclear program could kill a person with a radioactive toxin. By Alex Koppelman [2006-12-01]

• Total nonsense

  Polonium 210 is commonly used in photographic brushes, which are available at any decent camera store. From Wikipedia:

  Some anti-static brushes contain up to 500 microcuries of 210Po as a source of charged particles for neutralizing static electricity in materials like photographic film.

  Also from Wikipedia:

  The fatal dose (LD50, the dose that leads to 50% risk of death) for acute radiation exposure is generally about 4 Sv. [...] A fatal 4 Sv dose can be caused by ingesting 8 MBq (200 microcurie), about 50 nanogram, or inhaling 1.6 MBq (40 microcurie), about 10 ng.

  So it looks like all you need to do is walk into a camera shop, buy one anti-static brush, drop it in the guy's food while he's not looking, and the deed is done. Polonium is entirely non-toxic to handle, so there is virtually zero danger to the assassin. And, no need to suffer a flight on BA.

  -- ps
  Permalink Flag Thursday, November 30, 2006 08:09 PM
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