1.
INTRODUCTION
This report ts a review of the literature on the radfoblology of internal
emitters.
Its purpose is to consider what has becane known about the radio-
biology of internally deposited radionuclides over the last four decades.
Our
primary emphasis fs the progression of rad iobtological information through the
1950s and early 1960s, when atmospheric testing of atanic weapons was
occurring with increasing regularity.
oo
Most of the over 280 references cited in this report ere from the open
literature, although use of technical reports was sometimes also needed.
Our
focus was on developing a reasonable, documented chronology of the evolution
of knowledge about the radfobfology of falloute
We have used our scientific
judgment about the significance of available Information in distilling an
enormous volume of literature into a report of ‘this size.
We do not Intend this report to be a complete survey of the subfect.
The
scientific literature ts replete with overviews of radiobfologic studies, and
west Bes not been reviewed fn the onen literature hac heen reviewed in many
documents, including those on nuclear reactor safety (US MRC, 1978), radiation
risks (UNSCEAR, 1977, 1982; NAS, 1972, 1980), and radiation research in
general (IRRC, 1980).
the general evolution of radioblological research on Internal e@nitters fron
qualitative studies on their radfotoxicity to quantitative assessments of the
risk fram exposures to thew (Chapter III).
Further, we look in general
Important developments in the concern over fallout from nuclear weapons
Getonations through the ere of atmospheric testing.
at
+
In this report, after a historical perspective (Chapter 11), we address