Title: Radionuclide Basics: Plutonium | Radiation Protection | US EPA
Headings: Radionuclide Basics: Plutonium
Radionuclide Basics: Plutonium
Plutonium in the Environment
Plutonium Sources
Plutonium and Health

Content: Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) utilize radioisotopes (such as plutonium-238) to generate power for satellites. Plutonium-239 is used to make nuclear weapons. Plutonium-239 and Pu-240 are byproducts of nuclear reactor operations and nuclear bomb explosions. Top of Page
Plutonium and Health
Most forms of plutonium emit alpha particles, which are not very harmful outside the body, but can be very damaging when inhaled. When plutonium particles are inhaled, they lodge in the lung tissue. The alpha particles can kill lung cells, which causes scarring of the lungs, leading to further lung disease and cancer. Plutonium can enter the blood stream from the lungs and travel to the kidneys, meaning that the blood and the kidneys will be exposed to alpha particles. Once plutonium circulates through the body, it concentrates in the bones, liver, and spleen, exposing these organs to alpha particles. Plutonium that is ingested from contaminated food or water does not pose a serious threat to humans because the stomach does not absorb plutonium easily, it passes out of the body in the feces. Top of Page
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