# Question about Pu-239 (the film) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149 "2010-02-16T02:38:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/1 "2010-02-16T02:38:40Z")
In the film, the main character tries to sell 100g of Pu-239 he stole on the black market. What use would that amount be? As far as I know from public sources, you need at least one hundred times that amount for a bomb and I gather that the device had better be pretty sophisticated to make do with even that. Do I have that right? If so, it seems like there are better agents for a radiological weapon, so what would it be good for? Thanks, Rob ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/2 "2010-02-16T02:44:56Z")
Plutonium metal is (a) highly toxic, and (b) very difficult to chelate out of the body. (Note that we’re not talking the oxide, but the metal, in chemical terms, and that “it’s the gift that goes on giving” as it breaks down naturally.) While I’m sure there other things you could do with 100g Pu-239, that’s one use a terrorist or other villainous type might make of it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/3 "2010-02-16T04:20:59Z")
Find 99 other samples of the same size and put them all together, of course. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/4 "2010-02-16T06:03:58Z")
Terrorist dirty bomb. The amount doesn’t matter so much since you’re not looking for fission. You just want to spread radioactive debris (and corresponding fear). ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/5 "2010-02-16T14:59:52Z")
Last time I read a Guiness Book (albeit a long time ago) it listed Pu as the most deady poison (by mass) known, taking only one microgram (1/1000 of a gram) to cause cancer. Even without optimal dispursion, still, do the math… ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/6 "2010-02-16T15:04:07Z")
Well, as I said, there are probably better agents for radiological weapons, and in the film, it was implied that it would be useful for nuclear bomb development. In what capacity? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/7 "2010-02-16T18:29:18Z")
You could make one of [these](http://rebelsofmars.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/marvin_martian.jpg), I think. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/8 "2010-02-18T16:56:02Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Last time I read a Guiness Book (albeit a long time ago) it listed Pu as the most deady poison (by mass) known, taking only one microgram (1/1000 of a gram) to cause cancer. Even without optimal dispursion, still, do the math… [nitpick] 1 microgram=one-millionth of a gram. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/9 "2010-02-19T02:46:08Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > In the film, the main character tries to sell 100g of Pu-239 he stole on the black market. What use would that amount be? As far as I know from public sources, you need at least one hundred times that amount for a bomb and I gather that the device had better be pretty sophisticated to make do with even that. Do I have that right? If so, it seems like there are better agents for a radiological weapon, so what would it be good for? > > Thanks, > Rob Plutonium is radiologically toxic, since it’s a powerful gamma-ray and neutron emitter. Both of these are ionizing radiation that can do a big-time tune on your body. Despite what everyone says, it’s _not_ the most toxic substance on earth. Take a look at the Wikipedia article. Even so, I wouldn’t want it in my neighborhood. One hundred grams is not enough to build a fission bomb. That’s what, 1/4 lb.? You’d barely be able to see it. You could probably use it for a heating pad. On the other hand, you could put it in a dirty bomb and cause a lot of panic. You could also try some blackmail. “Pay me $1 million in small bills, or I spray the city with plutonium.” Then fly a small plane over a local park and let out 5 or 10 grams. You’d still be able to detect that amount with a scintillation counter. Fun and Games! You can see why the IAEA tries to track the stuff as closely as possible. It’s an uphill battle. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/10 "2010-02-19T06:05:36Z")
Part of the humor in Pu-239 is the fact that everyone assumes the plutonium is really, really valuable and yet none of them have the slightest clue as to how to sell it, who to sell it to, how much to sell it for, etc. It’s like the scene in Office Space where they look up “money laundering” in a dictionary. So, yeah, 100 g really is only good for poisoning, dirty bombs, and snorting. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-pu-239-the-film/529149/11 "2010-02-19T07:29:24Z")
Build a shiny bomb casing filled with used pinball machine parts.