Ettore Fiorini Trento, Nov.19, 2008 An unusual application of fundamental physics : the mystery of Napoleon death Searches for rare events to be carried

Ettore Fiorini Trento , Nov.19, 2008

An unusual application of fundamental physics : the mystery of Napoleon death

Searches for rare events to be carried out underground and under low environmental and “internal” radioactivity

One of the main problem => study and suppression of the background

at an extreme level => examples

Solar neutrinos => few interactions

Interactions of WIMPS =>conting rate in the low energy region

Double beta decay => counting rate in the region of 2-3 MeV

Advanced instrumentation for fundamental physics => archaeometry

119/11/2008 Ettore Fiorini, Trento


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Measurements of trace elements

environmenthsal physics

industry

medical physics

archaeometrfy


Experiments CUORE and CUORICINO

How to rekognize the presence of few disturbing elements

If they are radioactive => and ray spectroscopy

In any case : Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICPMS)

In some case Laser Ablation (LA ICPMS) Neutron Activation Analysis

Could sometimes reach the best sensitivity

Recent results of neutron activation analysis on Roman Lead

Lead is an excellent shielding material: High atomic number Reasonable mechanical properties Reasonable cost

It contains however 210 Pb active with an half lifetime of 22.3 years

Especially dangerous for searches on WIMPS. Low energy counting rates


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Alpha and beta decay of 238U

238U92 4.467 e9 a => 234Th90 24.10 d => 234Pa91 6.69 h =>234U92 2.46 e5 a

230Th92 7.54 e4 a => 226Ra88 1.60 e3 a => 222Rn86 3.8235 d218Po84 0.145 s => 214Pb82 10.64 h => 214Bi83 19.9 m => 214Po84163.7 m 210Pb82 22.3 a => 210Bi83 5.01d => 210Po84 138.38 s => 206Pb82 (stable)


No evidence of 210Pb in Roman lead found in a Roman “Navis oneraria magna”


Alpha and beta decay of 238U

238U924.467 e9 a => 234Th9024.10 d => 234Pa916.69 h =>234U92 2.46 e5 a => 230Th92 => 7.54 e4 a => 226Ra88 1.60 e3 a => 222Rn86 => 3.8235 d => 218Po840.145 s => 214Pb82 10.64 h => 214Bi83 19.9 m => 214Po84163.7 m s =>

210Pb82 22.3 a => 210Bi83 5.01d => 210Po84138.38 => 206Pb82

(stable)

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γYYXXn 1A1Z

*1A1Z

β1AZ

AZ

YYXXn A

Z

A

Z

A

Z

A

Z

1

1

*1

1

1


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No presence of 210 Pb < 4 m Bq/kg) , what about U and Th ?Whith neutron activation analysis < 10-12 g/g

Element

10-12 Dy, Eu

10-12 - 10-11 In,Lu.Mn

10-11-10-10 Au.Ho,Ir,Sm,W

10-10-10-9 Ag,As,Br,Cl,Co,Sb,Se,Th,U

10-9-10-8 Al,Ba.Hg, Na,Sr,Te,Zn

>10-8 Ca,K.Sn,Ti,Fe,Pb,S

Particularly sensitive to search for Asonly stable isotope 75Asthermal neutrons = 4.3 barns => 76As => beta 26.3 d and emission of a 559.1 keV ray


The use of our powerful method to investigate the presence of of arsenic in hairs of historical origin

Arsenic, like other heavy metals concentrates in hairs

Its presence used in criminology.

Many previous measurements

=> poor instrumentation and often inconclusive result

High school remembrance of Alessandro Manzoni

Il cinque maggio

.........e i dì nell'ozio chiuse in sì breve sponda,segno d'immensa invidiae di pietà profonda,d'inestinguibil odioe d'indomato amor.

The fifth of May

.........and his idle days closed in such a short site,target of immense envyand of deep pity,of unchanged hateand of untamable love


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Saint Helene



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Nature 299, 627 - 628 (14 October 1982); doi:10.1038/299627a0

Napoleon Bonaparte—no evidence of chronic arsenic poisoning Peter K. Lewin, Ronald G. V. Hancock* & Paul Voynovich

THE TRUTH GOES THROUGH THREE STAGES:

First, it is ridiculed; Second, it is violently attacked;

Finally, it is accepted as self-evident.

Who Murdered Napoleon? Probably Nobody! By H.Blair

h


mailto:[email protected]

Assasination strongly substained by B.Weider and P.Hapgood initially based on

Neutron activation measurements at Harwell on suggestion of S.Forthuvud

10 – 38 ppm of As , later

11 – 3 ppm and time distribution (no error)

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Previous results


The Longwood house


X-ray fluorescence analysis on the paper on the walls 0.08 g cm-2 a value presently non acceptable

Later negative measurements

Measurement on the tapisserie of the Longwood House


Other negative results Neutron activation (2.5 x 10 11 n cm-2 s-1 for 15 hours) with ray

spectroscopy => 1.4 ±1.2 ppm. Assumes no poisoning

Neutron activation with ray spectroscopy => Elba Isle 1.85 ±.11 ppm. => Saint Helene 3.5 ± 0.18 ppm and 33.3 ± 0. 2.2 ppm (bad treatment) A living man and woman 32 ± 3 and 33 ± 2 ppb

Assumes no poisoning

Neutron activation with ray spectroscopy (Saclay, unpublished) => Saint Helene Two hairs with an average of 4.5 ppm

B.Weider insists

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (P.Kinz) => 6.99 – 58.53 ppm

FBI (neutron activation analysis on two hairs ) => 33.3 and 14 ppm


Our experiment(strongly suported by INFN)

A multisciplinary research group The same precision as in neutrino physics Only hystorical material from certified institutions Mainly during vacations (with the exclusion of neutron activation)

Massimiliano Clemenza, Ettore Fiorini, Laura Guerra, Costanza Herborg, Massimo Labra, Edoardo Orvini, Adalberto Piazzoli, Ezio Previtali, Francesco Puggioni, Angela Santagostino

-Fundamental physics – Neutron activation – Toxicologists – Hystorian

-All neutron activations carried out at the TRIGA Mark II of the Laboratorio di Energia Nucleare Applicata of the Pavia University-(thermal neutron flux of 1.2 1013 n cm-2 s-1

- ray spectroscopy in Milano-Bicocca and Pavia and measurement of the hair mass in Milano-Bicocca


Hystorical materials used in this search From the Napoleonic (Rome), Glauco Lombardi (Parma) and Malmaison (Paris) Museums

Capello Massa (mg) Capello Massa (mg)

Odierno 1 0,122 Aiglon 1826 1 0,138Odierno 2 0,112 Aiglon 1826 2 0,108Odierno 3 0,096 Napoleone Corsica 1 0,180Odierno 4 0,138 Napoleone Corsica 2 0,274Odierno 5 0,220 Napoleone Elba 1 0,232Odierno 6 0,066 Napoleone Elba 2 0.188 Odierno 7 0,118 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 1 0,126Odierno 8 0.126 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 2 0,166Odierno 9 0,148 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 3 0,090Odierno 10 0,230 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 4 0,130Aiglon 1812 1 0,106 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 5 0,224Aiglon 1812 2 0,088 Napoleone S. Elena 5 maggio 6 0,148Aiglon 1816 1 0,132 Napoleone S. Elena 6 maggio 1 0,254Aiglon 1816 2 0,104 Napoleone S. Elena 6 maggio 2 0,328Aiglon 1821 1 0,078 Josephine 1 0,268Aiglon 1821 2 0,060 Josephine 2 0,294




Certified calibrated standards have been used


Measurements on the As content in the hairs of a living subject, and comparison with the content in the hairs of the Aiglon and of Empress Josephine

Contemporary hairAs(in 10-2 ppm)

Present 1 8,6 ±,9Present 2 5,6 ± 1,8Present 3 11,0 ± 3,5Present 4 12,4 ± 3,9Present 5 2,4 ± 1,1Present 6 7,1 ± 2,8Present 7 5,4 ± 1,7Present 8 4,0 ± 1,4Present 9 4,3 ± 3,1Present 10 4,8 ± 2

Aignon and Josephine

As (in ppm)

Aiglon 1812 - 1 9,4 ± 1,0

Aiglon 1812 - 2 6,1 ± 0,6

Aiglon 1816 - 1 12,6 ± 1,3

Aiglon 1816 - 2 9,9 ± 1,0

Aiglon 1821 - 1 9,9 ± 1,1

Aiglon 1821 - 2 11,2 ± 1,3

Aiglon 1826 - 1 7,6 ± 0,8

Aiglon 1826 - 2 8,5 ± 0,9

Josephine - 1 0,8 ± 0,4

Josephine – 2 1,2 ± 0,5


As (in ppm)

Corse 1770 – 1 8.3± 0,9Corse 1770 - 2 6,3 ± 0,7Elba 1814 – 1 4,4 ± 0,5Elba 1814 - 2 3,5 ± 0,4S. Elene 5 May 1821 - 1 13,1 ± 1,3S. Elene 5 May 1821 - 2 16,7 ± 1,7S. Elene 5 May 1821 - 3 14,2 ± 1,4S. Elene 5 May 1821 - 4 17,0 ± 1,7S. Elene 5 May 1821 - 5 15,4 ± 2,3S. Elene 5 May 1821 - 6 18,9 ± 2,2S. Elene 6 May 1821 - 1 15,2 ± 2,0S. Elene 6 May 1821 – 2 9,7 ± 1,

Arsenic in the hairs of the Emperor


Fragment Mass (mg) As ( ppm)

2A 0,012 27,6 ± 3,02B 0,022 22,0 ± 2,52C 0,026 21,4 ± 2,52D 0,032 17,5 ± 2,02E 0,032 16,6 ± 1,92F 0,026 20,7 ± 2,4

Change of the contamination along the hair(the mass has decreased due to irradiation)


Arsenic content in the water of the spring liked by the Emperor (near his first grave)



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Sample As (μg/L)

N.1 1,0000

N.2 1,5000

N.3 2,0000

N.4 1,2500

N.5 1,1000

N.6 0,8000

Average 1,28 ± .43

Presently legally accepted limit => 10

Arsenic intake from medicines and definirtely from paper on walls , but not from water


Hope to have finished , butNapoleon strikes again:

Large impact in the national and international press (more than 100 newspapers)

Recent paper on the New York Times

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Hair Analysis Deflates Napoleon Poisoning Theories

Was Napoleon poisoned?

now, a team of scientists at Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Milan-Bicocca and Pavia has uncovered strong evidence to the contrary.


http://www.nytimes.com/

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Contact with many toxicologists:

J.T.Hindmarsh Royal College of Phatologists of England and Canada and P.F.Corso Norwalk Hospitala (Connecticut)

A.Lugli Department of Pathology – Basel University

• Very precise pathological analysis

• Change of the weight with time from 12 samples of trousers (checked with volunteers)

• Connection of the weight with subcutaneous fat from authopsy of 270 patients

• Comparison of pictures of gastric lesions and other features of patients dyying of cancer with the very detailed authopsy of Francesco Antonmarchi (pupil of the famous Giuseppe Macagni of Siena University)



Conclusions

UsOur measurements on hairs of presently living people indicate a presence of arsenic two

order of magnitude less than those of hystorical people

The procedure to attribute the large amount of Arsenic in Napoleon hairs to state his poisoning is wrong

The arsenic presence in the larger sample of hairs of Napoleon after his death ever measured is in agreement among the various components and comparable to those measured in the King of Rome in four different period of his life

The concentration of arsenic in Napoleon hairs in Saint Helene is larger than he was in in the Elba Isle , but is not such to justify the criminal hypothesis which would require a concentration of 45 ppm or larger. This is confirmed by the concentration with time along one hair and indicate a cronic exposure due to environmental reasons

Previous and present detailed clinical analisis strongly confirm our results

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A.Lugli et al In conclusion, we believe that the original autopsy findings and our analysis of Napoleon’s lifetime weight changes provide strong support for the hypothesis that Napoleon’s final defeat was caused by gastric cancer.


32Ettore Fiorini, Trento19/11/2008




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Ettore Fiorini Trento, Nov.19, 2008 An unusual application of fundamental physics : the mystery of Napoleon death Searches for rare events to be carried