In the world of scientific discovery, there is something unique – the taste of plutonium. This radioactive metal, known for its toxicity, turned out to be the taste of a chemist named Donald Mustique. In 1944, during the Manhattan Project, he accidentally encountered this dangerous substance.
Writes about this IFLScience.
Mastic and his colleague Arthur Wahl conducted an experiment with a vial containing 10 milligrams of plutonium chloride dissolved in acid. Suddenly the vial exploded and Mastic inhaled and swallowed the plutonium particles. This encounter with one of humanity’s most dangerous substances was the beginning of an incredible scientific journey.
The mastic was quickly obtained with the help of Dr. Louis Hempelmann, who suggested a special mouthwash solution. This mixture, consisting of trisodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate, successfully removed most of the plutonium. However, even after many years, Mastic’s breath continued to emit radioactive particles.
Hempelmann was forced to pump out Mastic’s stomach to extract the remaining plutonium. Tests revealed that less than 1 microgram of plutonium remained in the chemist’s body. Even after decades, the level of plutonium in Mastic’s body did not reach critical levels.
Extraordinarily, despite the massive dose of plutonium, Donald Mastic lived a long and productive life. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 80, succumbing to complications associated with Parkinson’s disease. This case was an amazing example of survival in contact with one of the most terrible substances on the planet – plutonium.
Earlier, Cursor reported that the Earth was under threat due to a powerful flare on the Sun.
2023-12-16 00:15:39
#radioactive #plutonium #taste
