findings of Martell and others that hot particles may very well
Le a causative factor in a number of other disorders.
Appendices II and III.
See
The DEIS deals only with inhalation risk,
yet Americium is known to present a risk for the liver, spleen
and bone of man through take-up from the gastrointestinal tract.
(Martell, Personal Communication.)
Concerning the adequacy of the radiological survey with
respect to internal alpha emitters, Dr. Martell had this to say:
It is noted that the survey results for the
Enewetak Lagoon sediments show an average of 463
2394240
241
90
mCi
Pu/km*, 172 mCi
Am/km2 and 586 mCi
Table 3-11, p 2-75, DEIS Volume I).
the
Sxr/km
In addition,
“£41
Am cuncentrations range up to 8.2 pCi/g averaged
over the top 15 cm depth of soils, with
241
Am/
239
Pu
ratios varying widely and ranging up to 3.5 (NVO-140
Vol. 1, p 507).
241
Pu, the
241
Due to further radioactive decay of
Am activity concentrations can be expected
to double over the next 50 years.
£
In addition, densely
.
vegetated soils on each island show the highest radio-
activity concentrations.
‘The DEIS limits consideration of
inhalation risks.
239+240
Pu to
However significant uptake of Pu
from the gastrointestinal tract has been observed in
young mammals and similar uptake may occur in young
children.
In addition the uptake of americium in soils
by vegetation is substantially higher than plutonium
2