Polonium-210 Content of Human Tissues in Relation to Dietary Habit

Concentrations of polonium-210, a natural fallout nuclide, in human placentas collected in northern Canada ranged up to 27.8 picocuries per 100 grams, or 80 times the average United Kingdom value. High levels are related to the inclusion of reindeer or caribou meat in the diet, and a correlation exists between the concentrations of polonium-210 and cesium-137 in the placentas.