Can I get info about the element Polonium and particually the odor?
Metals, typically have no odor until a salt is formed. Usually any odor will be caused by a sulfate(ide) or a chloride. Polonium is used as a source of fairly high energy alpha particles and is found in antistatic brushes, detectors in instruments (keeps a charged field). All Polonium isotopes are unstable and Polonium sources are typically no good after one year. Any odor detected will be from the formation of irradiated air and will be typically ozone. (sharp, twangy, irritating, actually dangerous.) It’s presence in cigarette smoke (the fertilizer used on the tobacco fields has tiny amounts of natural radioactives with Polonium as one of the decay elements) has been speculated as one of the sources of cancer in smokers. The alpha particles do much damage when in close contact with lung tisue. Since the Polonium is a low melting point element, it ends up in the smoke and is transported into the lungs.
