Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Litvinenko stated that he met with two former KGB agents (one of whom is an Italian
security expert) early on the day he fell ill with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and
diarrhea; and was hospitalized. A British toxicologist suggests thallium poisoning, which
is not an unreasonable thought early on. However the subsequent clinical course was
not consistent with thallium.
In addition to the claims and counter-claims made by many people, this murder has an
important clue – the traceable alpha-emitter polonium-210, which has a radiologic halflife
of 138 days. Thus the path of this radioisotope remains for many months.
Alexander Litvinenko died November 23, 2006, just over 3 weeks post-exposure.
Slide 54
It is commonly said in medicine that the history makes the diagnosis. In these cases the
key historic feature is identifying a possible radiation exposure. Some possible scenarios
include:
- Finding an unknown metallic object, as we saw in the Goiania Brazil event.
- A history of working with radioactive chemicals, such as fluorescence spectroscopy,
industrial radiography, etc; or working in a potential site for exposure, such as
construction or a scrap metal yard.
- Multiple people falling ill simultaneously with gastrointestinal effects, particularly with
suggestive subsequent physical exam findings (such as skin lesions)
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