SUMMARIZATION
M.
G. White and P.
B.
Dunaway
In March, 1978, the Nevada Applied Ecology Group held the annual plutonium information conference in San Diego, California.
Papers presented
at the meeting included summary reports of projects, progress reports of
current work, and a number of papers contributed by organizations other
than NAEG.
A brief summarization of the conference follows.
Following completion of scheduled studies in safety-shot areas, Nevada
Applied Ecology Group studies began in 1977 in the nuclear sites at the
Nevada Test Site (NTS).
Ecological studies concerning small mammals
were reported by Bradley and Moor of the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas.
In evaluation of initial species inventory of the native vertebrate biota and estimates of population numbers, it was found that
rodents generally were more numerous in the intensive study nuclear site
studied than in Areas 5, 11, and 13 intensive study sites of NAEG.
Comparative data were presented in their report from the safety-shot
site investigations.
Certain analyses of samples and further evaluation
of data were postponed due to cutback in NAEG funding levels.
In addition to the NTS off-site monitoring function performed by the
Environmental Protection Agency for the Department of Energy, the EPA's
Bioenvironmental Research Program conducts large animal studies for the
NAEG.
A summary of the efforts of the Environmental Monitoring and
Support Laboratory-Las Vegas in the activities of NAEG was prepared by
Bretthauer.
Reports of several NAEG/EPA studies were in preparation for
publication in 1978.
Those referred to in Bretthaver's summary include,
"Comparison of Pu~-238 and Pu-239 Metabolism in Dairy Cows," "Metabolism
of Am-241 in Dairy Animals," "Area 13 In Vitro Study," “Area 13 Microorganism Population Survey," "Sterile vs Non-Sterile Soil Pu Solubility,'
"Pu-238/Pu-239 In Vitro Study," “Soil Profiles of Pu-Contaminated Areas
of the NTS," and "Am-241 In Vitro Study."
Metabolism of Americium-241 in dairy animals was the subject of the EPA
report presented by Sutton.
He and co-workers Patzer, Mullen, Hahn, and
Potter conducted experiments utilizing groups of cows and goats in order
to investigate oral and intravenous uptake of Am-241.
Their results
indicated that the largest fraction of the administered dose to the cow
was retained in bone, followed by liver and kidney.
In the case of the
goat, retention of americium was greatest in the liver.
Am-241 and Pu-238 metabolism in dairy cows was discussed.
information offered, Sutton et al.
Comparisons of
Among other
stated that 24-hour collections of
urine and milk contained noticeably higher nuclide concentrations when
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