isotopes of fodine were recognized as contaminants of the environment following
detonation of atomic weapons (Glasstone et al., 1950).
The earliest report in the open literature on 13}. in environmental
samples appeared in 195] when chemical separations were made on radioactivity in
snow in Michigan (Meinke, 1951).
In 1953, an assay of 10 sheep thyroids fn Utah
showed the presence of 131] 2-3 weeks after an atomic detonation in Nevada
(Wolff, 1957).
Im 1954, the radionuclide was shown to be in thyroid glands of
cattle and sheep slaughtered in Menphis, TN, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA,
but orfginating in other areas of the United States, fncluding Kentucky and
Florida (Van Middlesworth, 19542).
After his initial report, Yan Middlesworth
(1956) described the global nature of the distribution of fallout I311 fn
cattle and sheep thyroids.
Soon, Comar et a}. (1957) demonstrated a correlation
between increased concentrations of !3)! in thyroid glands {nm human and bovine
thyroids with known atomic weapcas testing.
These authors also showed Ingestion
of 1311 to be of greater significance than inhalation for cows, and discussed
het eee
the role of milk ingestion in the 131} contamination of people.
|
At about the same time, Dunning (1955) published methods for the calculatiun
of dose from inhaled 1311 and other, shorter-I{ved fodine isotopes for people
and ingested 1311 for sheep; sanple calculations were included that related to
radiotodine exposures that had resulted from weapons tests in Nevada.
The 195?
release of ratioactivity fram a reactor at Windscale in northwest England also
resulted fn opportunities for study of man-made radioactivity in the environ
ment, particularly 1314 (Stewart amt Crooks, 1958; Chamberlain and Dunster,
1958, Efsenbud, 1973).
Some 12 to 1S years after the time of peak fallout fram the “evada Test
Stte, a Terge number of children were exanined for thyroid gland atenaecalltcas
I.