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maximum accumulation of strontium-99.
This maximum dose rate in
the teenagers was received by individuals who were 10 years old at the
time of attack.
Again, let me emphasize that in the SRI water study and the Isotopes
food study, no countermeasures or preacutions were assumed to have
been taken.
Now, what seem to be the requirements for countermeasures and
what would be the difficulties in instituting them?
For two of the radionuclides -- iodine and strontium -- it would
appear prudent to have standby countermeasures for implementation
when and if needed.
Of the two, the iodine countermeasure problem
seems far easier to solve since it would exist, at most, for a few weeks
postattack, and iodine appears to be an important hazard only as a contaminant in water or milk.
Its short half-life precludes its becoming
incorporated in most other kinds of foods.
other fallout radionuclides,
easily could be cleaned off.
very important.
Although iodine, with the
could be deposited on plant surfaces, it
Inhalation of iodine is not considered to be
Although some sublimation would occur, test experi-
ences have indicated that the resulting concentrations of iodine vapor
would not be dangerous.
The iodine hazard would be limited essentially
to the very young; thus a desirable policy would include selective
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