Marie Curie died from the long-term effects of exposure to radioactive materials, specifically from radiation-induced aplastic anemia, which is a severe condition where the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells. This illness was caused by the intense and prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation during her pioneering research on radioactive elements like radium and polonium.
To understand what type of radiation was responsible—alpha, beta, or gamma—it’s important to know the nature of these radiations and how they affect the human body.
**Alpha particles** are heavy, positively charged particles that cannot penetrate the skin but are highly damaging if ingested or inhaled because they cause intense ionization in a very localized area inside the body. **Beta particles** are lighter, negatively charged electrons that can penetrate the skin to some extent and cause damage to living tissues. **Gamma rays** are highly penetrating electromagnetic radiation that can pass through the human body and cause widespread cellular damage.
Marie Curie worked extensively with radium and polonium, both of which emit alpha particles predominantly, but also beta particles and gamma rays. The radium she handled emitted alpha particles, which are particularly dangerous if radioactive material enters the body, as they can destroy bone marrow and other tissues at close range. Gamma radiation, being highly penetrating, also contributed to systemic damage over time.
Curie’s exposure was not limited to one type of radiation; she was exposed to a mix of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. However, the most lethal effects leading to her aplastic anemia were primarily due to alpha radiation from radium and polonium particles that entered her body through skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion during her experiments. The alpha particles caused severe damage to her bone marrow, leading to the failure of blood cell production.
Her symptoms developed gradually over years of exposure, including radiation burns and deteriorating health, culminating in her death in 1934 from aplastic anemia caused by radiation poisoning. At the time, the dangers of radiation were not well understood, and protective measures were minimal or nonexistent. She often carried test tubes containing radioactive substances in her pockets and worked with them without shielding.
In summary, while Marie Curie was exposed to alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, it was primarily the **alpha radiation** from radium and polonium that caused the fatal damage to her bone marrow, leading to aplastic anemia and her eventual death. The combination of all three types of radiation contributed to her overall radiation sickness, but alpha particles were the most directly harmful internally.