TK
°
Comment #2,
.
ESTIEare OF THE An Cree CTS OF eorrey1 AND (GTRER
ALPHA-ERITILUG TRANSUP AT ACS
The estimate of lung cancer incidence associated with the inhalation
.
of plutonium (or otner transuranics) in particulate form is a critical
factor, along with source tarms and resuspen ion, in defining the probable
impact of the LhircR's plutonium based fuel-“cycle.
oo
. .is subject is discussed
‘in Sectien 4.6.5 "Particle Lung Dose Effects" eof WASH-1525.
I quote the
first sentence frem that section:
So
;
De
"The estimates of lung cancer incidence associated witn
the inhalation of transuranics used in this report are
based upon a calculation of ine everece radiation cose
delivered to the lurg and apalicezion ef tumor incidence
estimates for tne uniformly irradiated Jung as estimated
Boo
s
7
,
-
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in the BEIR report."!
This cited basis, and hence the derived estimates, are indefensible.
Section 4.6.5 ree"that ‘insoluble’ particles of
‘
radioisotopes,
when Cepusitea in tissues, provide focal spots of high
radiation cose rates close the the particle," so there is no presuzstion
.
‘that the exposure by particulates of plutonium is uniform.
respiratory tissue of the lung is made up of 108 alveoli.
is a complexiy organized unit of tissue.
The deep
Each aveolus
If an insoluble alpha-emitting
particulate is. depusited in this tissue some 10 to 160 alveoli will be
exposed.
A crude measure of the nonuniformity of this exposure is that
at most about one-millionth of the lung's alveoli are affected by a single
particulate.
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The significance of the preceding is that in the actual lung
exposure by an alpha-caitting particulate, the energy cf the ionizing
radiation is denositca Jn a very limited voluine of tissue, and hence that
sO,
.
the actual radiation dose “to lung tissue scaled roughly @ nillion times
~Ctotes
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