52 WORLDWIDE EFFECTS OF ATOMIC WEAPONS The human specimens are essential for determining the actuallevels of Sr°’ that may now be present in the human body. As demonstrated in the earlier sections of this report, present knowledge of the distribution of Sr’? and the manner it may reach humans is inadequate for predicting under what circumstances and in what amounts it may reach the body. Previous discussion provides good argument that bone is an excellent collector and integrator of strontium. Thus the suggestion that bone spectmens be used. ‘Tooth specimens are also suggested, primarily to determine if they may not also provide concentration of strontium. The literature does not agree on this. If teeth are proved useful indicators, they will be more readily available for future studies than human bone. The three human age groups are suggested because of the postulated difference in the uptake of strontium in these ages. It will be necessary to have specific information on this before any definite statements can be made regarding the relation between concentration of Sr°° in an environment and the maximum safe body burden. This requirement for human specimens suggests that only fairly large metropolitan areas be selected in the locations states. This will ensure the availability of sufficient quantities of human specimens and the presence of large hospitals with adequate staffs who can properly collect and segregate the specimensdesired. The other specimens listed as of interest for analysis have several important functions: 1. They will provide a check on fallout in the area as obtained from present sources, or give an idea of the amount of fallout where other data are not available. 2. They will present a cross section of the diet of the human population and thereby provide a means of correlating concentration of Sr’ in diet with the concentration in the human body. 3. They will represent samples of the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and a few bionomic cycles of importance to man, so that any concentrations orthat may Dud Up IOF Prot tOnettey into man may be detected. In addition to the 216 samples listed above, the following several samples of a general nature may give useful information about the value of other types of samples for possible use in the subsequent investigation: SAMPLING AND RESEARCH PROGRAM <4 1. Whole humanskeletons. These are necessary in order to compare bone or tooth samples to whole body samples. They will be difficult to obtain and to assay, but such samplesare essential. 2. Plasma, or calcium from plasma. Information about this must be secured from the American Red Cross or from the National Blood Committee. If plasma is routinely collected over resin columns, the discarded resin columns will contain almost all of the plasma calcium and can easily be leached to provide a large, pooled sample. 3. Additional hydrosphere samples. These should consist of one or more of the following: tuna fish bones from a cannery, oyster shells, and brown seaweed, which, it is believed, concentrates strontium, . For the reasons given in the biomedical section of this report, analysis for inactive strontium and calcium in all of the samples collected and used is considered most essential. It is difficult at this time to guess at the cost for the analysis of each sample. Quick estimates ranging from $50 to $1000 a sample have been made. If the pilot analyses, as outlined here, prove to be too expensive, it may be necessary to decrease the number of samples. Thelist of samples in this chapter was prepared in the order of descending desirability. Consequently, the first economy would be to cut down the numberof soil and water samples from 3 to 2. The second economy would be to cut down the number of foodstuff analyses. Beyond this point, it seems desirable to cut down the number ofplaces studied, removing first, Area 4 (South America), second, Area 5 (England), and third, Area 6 (Japan). It is hoped that these stringent economies will not prove necessary, since the value of the study will be considerably impaired by cutting down the number of areas surveyed. On the other hand, if more samples could be obtained in the pilot program, one could increase the number of samples taken at each place PLC 36 samples is regarded as a minimum quantity; more than one quantum might give results of preater significance. The collection of samples will undoubtedly be expedited and the quality of sampling much improved if an individual associated with the study