from russia with lunch - the litvinienko polonium incident
DESCRIPTION
In 2006, the Russian Anelander Litvinenko was poisoned using Polonium 210. Some members of the public were exposed to radioactivity at a London hotel bar. I assisted with the Public Health response to this incident.TRANSCRIPT
FROM ЯUSSIA WITH LUNCH !
The death of Alexander Litvinenko !
Cumbria Media Emergency Forum !
Dr Nigel Calvert
FROM ЯUSSIA WITH LUNCH !
The death of Alexander Litvinenko !
Cumbria Media Emergency Forum !
Dr Nigel Calvert
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
Assassination at St. Helena Sten Forshufvud & Ben WeiderMitchell Press Ltd, 1987
ISBN: 0-88836-028-2
If surviving assassination attempts were an
Olympic event, I would win the gold medal
From van Keuren RT. Chemical and Biological Warfare, An Investigative Guide. Washington, DC: Office of Enforcement, Strategic Investigations Division, US Customs Service; October 1990: 89
From van Keuren RT. Chemical and Biological Warfare, An Investigative Guide. Washington, DC: Office of Enforcement, Strategic Investigations Division, US Customs Service; October 1990: 89
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
Alexander Litvinenko
‘It is unfortunate that the murder coincided with the
release of a new Bond film in Britain. The result has been that
the British media has been tempted to treat the
assassination of a British citizen as just an extension of the Bond
series’ !
Gideon Rachman Financial Times 27th November 2006
The Sun 21st November 2006
Anna PolitkovskayaRussian anti-Putin journalist
Assassinated in 2006
Mario Scaramella
Italian Academic and Friend of Litvinenko
Boris Berezovsky
Close friend and supporter of Litvinenko
Dmitry Kovtun
Left a trail of Polonium across Europe
Andrei Lugovoy
Former KGB Bodyguard Linked to Polonium finds
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
half a gram will reach temp of 500 degrees celsius !due to large amount of alpha particles
Antoine Henri Becquerel Louis Harold Gray Rolf Maximilian Sievert
Measuring Radioactivity and Radiation
Radioactivity •count of disintegrations •measured in becquerels (Bq)
Absorbed dose •amount of energy absorbed by tissues •measured in gray (1 Gy = 1 joule/kg of tissue)
Equivalent Dose •Alpha more damaging than beta, gamma or X-raya •measured in sieverts (Sv).
Harrison J et al. Polonium-210 as a poison. J. Radiol. Prot. 27 (2007) 17–40
1. 0.1 – 0.3 GBq absorbed to blood of an adult male is likely to be fatal within 1 month
2. This corresponds to ingestion of 1 – 3 GBq assuming 10% absorption to blood.
3. Bone Marrow Damage • ↓ White Cell count
4. Other Organ Damage • kidneys • liver • GI tract
5. Even if the bone marrow could be rescued, damage to other organs can be expected to prove fatal.
210Po as a Poison
Harrison J et al. Polonium-210 as a poison.J. Radiol. Prot. 27 (2007) 17–40
BMJ 2004; 328: 568–72
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
• The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent body that protects the health and well-being of the population. The Agency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur.
• We also prepare for new and emerging threats, such as a bio-terrorist attack or virulent new strain of disease.
• The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is an independent body that protects the health and well-being of the population. The Agency plays a critical role in protecting people from infectious diseases and in preventing harm when hazards involving chemicals, poisons or radiation occur.
• We also prepare for new and emerging threats, such as a bio-terrorist attack or virulent new strain of disease.
HPA Roles in The Incident
• Radiation Protection Division • Liaison with other
agencies & Government • Specialist advice
• Local and Regional Services Division • Public Advice • Help lines for people
exposed to 210Po
Increased Cancer Risk
Average Lifetime Risk ≈ 33% Dose of 1 mSV ≡ ↑ 0.005%
Category24 Hr Urine
(mBq/day)
Dose Equivalent
(mSv)
Number
Increase in lifetime Cancer
Risk
1 < 30 601 n/a
2 > 30 < 1 85 < 0.005%
3a 1 - < 6 35 < 0.03%
3b ≥ 6 17 ≥ 0.03%
Results of 24 hour urine 210Po measurement in Members of the Public
Potential Increase in Cancer Risk
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
GeneralPopulation
6 mSv ? Higherexposure
Exposure Group
Life
time
Ris
k
?
Topics
• Background
• Alexander Litvinenko
• What happened?
• Biological effects of Polonium
• The Health Protection Agency’s involvement
Blowing Up Russia. Alexander Litvinenko & Yuri Felshtinsky. Gibson Square Books Ltd (19 Jan 2007) ISBN 1903933951 A Russian Diary. Anna Politkovskaya. Harvill Secker (20 Mar 2007) ISBN 1846551021 Polonium-210 as a Poison. Harrison J, Leggett R, Lloyd D, Phipps A, Scott B. J. Radiol. Prot. 27 (2007) 17–40 Health Protection Matters. Issue Seven. Spring 2007. www.hpa.org.uk Accessed 21 April 2007
Further Reading