Abstract
A preliminary study of Po-210 concentrations in the blood of some smokers and nonsmokers is presented in order to evaluate the contribution of smoking to total blood Po-210 in Saudi population. Blood samples were collected from 30 volunteers and analyzed by high resolution alpha-spectrometry using a radiochemical technique. The technique is based on the separation of polonium from other components of the sample by wet ashing with an HNO3/H2O2 oxidizing mixture and spontaneous deposition on a silver disc under the relevant conditions for alpha-particle counting. The results indicated that a significant fraction (about 30%) of blood Po-210 is related to smoking. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.