In the context of his comment it iS Interesting to
refer to the National Academy of Sciences, National
Research Council report of 1961 on the Effects of
Inhaled Radioactive Particles.
sentenze reads,
{c]
The first
“the potential hazard due to air-
borne radioactive particulates is probably the least
understood of the hazards
weapons
tests,
associated with atemic
prcduction of
radicelements,
and the
expanding use oi: nuclear energy for power production.
A decade later that statement is stili valid.
Finally
let me quote Drs. Sanders, Thompson, and Bair from a
paper given by them last October. [da] Dr. Bair and
his colleagues have done. the most relevant plutonium
oxide inhalation experiments.
"Nonuniform irradiation
of the lung from deposited radioactive particulates is
clearly more carcinogenic than uniform exposure
total-lung dose basis),
(on a
and alpha-irradiation 1s more
carcinogenic than beta-irradiation.
The doses required
for a substantial tumor incidence, are very high, however, if measured in proximity to the particle; and,
again, there are no data to establish the low-incidence
end of a dose-effect curve.
And there is no general
theory,
or data on which
to base
a
theory,
which would
permit extrapolation of the high inc.cence portion cf
the curve into the low incidence region."
I agree and
I suggest that in such a circumstance it is appropriate
to view the standards with extreme caution.
[c}
°
U. S. NAS-NRC Subcommittee, Effects of Inhaled Radioactive
Particles.
Report of the Subcommittee on Inhalation
Hazards.
Committee on Pathologic Effects of Atomic
Radiation.
National Academy of Sciences - National
Research Council, Washinaton,
848.
NAS-NRC/PUB-848, 1961.
{a}
DBD.
C.
1961.
Publication
Sanders, C.L., R.C. Thompson, and W.J. Bair, “Lung
Cancer: .Dose Response Studies with Radionuclides."
In:
Inhalation Carcinogenesis.
Proceedings of a Biology
Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, conference held
in Gatlinburg,
Hanna, Jr., P.
Tennessee, October 8-11, 1969.
M.G.
Nettesheim, and J.R. Gilbert, eds.,
U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Symposium Series 18,
pp. 285-303.
(CONF-691001).
31/
Geesaman,
Donald P.,
1970.
“Plutonium and Public Health,
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Calif., GT-121-70, April 19, 1970,
reproduced in Underaround Uses of Nuclear Eneray,
Part 2,
Hearings
before the Subcommittce on Air and Water Pollution of the
Committee on Public Works, U.
August 5, 1970, PBs meeoe A932
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