The Litvinenko Inquiry

The Litvinenko Inquiry
Chapter 7: Russian State responsibility – the
source of the polonium 210
9.46 It is self evident that the isotope polonium 210 is a very rare substance. I also heard
evidence that the isotope is difficult to produce and dangerous to handle. Moreover,
whilst polonium 210 is routinely manufactured and sold commercially, it is only publicly
available in minute quantities that are embedded within sealed containers.
9.47 Since polonium 210 is such a rare and specialised commodity, the question arises as
to whether evidence relating to the polonium 210 that was used to kill Mr Litvinenko
might assist in establishing responsibility for his death. Can the source of the polonium
210 be traced? If so, what inferences can be drawn?
9.48 I received valuable evidence on these issues from Professor Norman Dombey.
Professor Dombey was Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Sussex
from 1989 until his retirement in 2003, and since that time has been Emeritus Professor.
He has extensive experience in the field of nuclear physics. He also has a level of
practical knowledge, in part through his international contacts, about the production of
polonium 210 in Russia. In August 2007 Professor Dombey wrote a review of Death
of a Dissident in the London Review of Books. 10 Following that, he was commissioned
by Alex Goldfarb to prepare an expert report for the purposes of the claim brought by
Marina Litvinenko before the European Court of Human Rights. That report was dated
12 November 2007. 11 Professor Dombey thereafter provided a supplementary report
for the purposes of this Inquiry, 12 and also attended to give oral evidence. 13
9.49 A certain amount of the evidence relating to the possible source of the polonium 210
was uncontroversial.
9.50 It is not in any doubt that polonium 210 is, and was, throughout the relevant period,
manufactured in Russia for commercial purposes. Professor Dombey assisted me by
providing detailed evidence about this industry. 14 He explained that the programme
of polonium 210 production in Russia uses facilities at two former closed cities, both
of which were initially established in connection with the manufacture of nuclear
weapons. It was his understanding that all Russian production of polonium 210 came
from this programme. 15
9.51 The process by which large scale production of polonium 210 is undertaken was
described in evidence by both Professor Dombey and witness A1.
9.52 Put shortly, a target of bismuth 209, which is a stable isotope, is inserted into a reactor
where it is bombarded with neutrons. During the bombardment, bismuth 209 atoms
capture neutrons and thereby become bismuth 210 atoms. Bismuth 210 is an unstable
isotope, which decays by emitting a beta particle, so that one of its neutrons changes
into a proton. That converts the bismuth 210 atom into a polonium 210 atom. When
the target is removed from the reactor, a process has to be undertaken to isolate
10
INQ006067 (pages 7-8)
11
INQ006067
12
INQ020031
13
Dombey 23/5-56
14
Dombey 23/13-39
15
Dombey 23/22
216