02-16-2010, 01:39 AM
Hi,
Yes, it is toxic. No, it is nowhere near the toxicity that was assigned to it at Los Alamos in the early 1940's. And it is nowhere near the scare levels that the alarmists would have us believe.
--Pete
Quote:Well, Plutonium is highly toxic, but not in it's pure form and not because of radioactivity. Plutonium Oxide is one of the most lethal poisons in existance. If you get even a small amount in your system, you will die, quite painfully I might add. A few mg of Plutonium Oxide is all that is needed to kill even the healthiest of individuals.Well, this discusses this in some detail. It would appear that plutonium oxide is one fifth as lethal as cyanide if ingested, but five times as lethal if inhaled as a fine powder. Even inhaled, it takes "about 20 milligrams of plutonium dust of optimal size would be necessary to cause death within roughly a month from pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary edema." Compare that with botulism where the quantities needed are in nanograms. Indeed, plutonium oxide is more in the range of nicotine.
Yes, it is toxic. No, it is nowhere near the toxicity that was assigned to it at Los Alamos in the early 1940's. And it is nowhere near the scare levels that the alarmists would have us believe.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?