Abstract
Polonium, like other elements in the Group VI Oxygen series (S, Se, Te), has the potential to form volatile alkyl derivatives. This may be evident in its pervasive radioactive excesses in the atmosphere and coastal waters, and its deficiency in surface open ocean waters. We present evidence for the formation of volatile polonium species. The first evidence comes from duplicating experiments that proved the existence of volatile tellurium, its Group VI congener. Cultures of bread mold at room temperature spiked with polonium tracers showed a significant and reproducible loss of about 0.5% per day of volatile polonium species. In another set of experiments, between 30–50% loss of210Po was observed from Floridan groundwater when nitrogen was bubbled through it over durations of 5–30 minutes. Polonium volatility is highly relevant for biogeochemical studies because it may provide a natural radiochemical tracer for recycling of similar volatile sulfur and other Group VI metal species between the geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
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Hussain, N., Ferdelman, T.G., Church, T.M. et al. Bio-volatilization of polonium: Results from laboratory analyses. Aquat Geochem 1, 175–188 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702890
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00702890