POTASSIUM 40 AND CESIUM 137 IN HUMANS
C.W. Mays, D.H. Taysum, and D.W. Glad
Abstract:
Whole-body gamma measurements have been made on 38 persons.
of
potassium
in
a
person
is
approximately proportional
tends to be greater in men than in women.
in people living in Salt Lake City,
to
The amount
body weight
and
The average Cesium content measured
Utah,
is greater than
average values
reported for people living in other parts of the United States.
This differ-
ence may be due to the proximity of Salt Lake City to the atomic bomb test
Site in Nevada.
About 70% of the people in the Radiobiology Laboratory have
been measured.
So far, there is no evidence of contamination with the radio-
elements with which we work.
INTRODUCTION:
It has been estimated!) that during the winter of 1957-1958, over 95% of
the gamma activity in people was due to the disintegration of Potassium 40 and
Cesium 137.
existed in
Potassium 40 is a naturally occurring radioelement which has
living systems for millions of years.
Cesium 137 results from
nuclear fission.
It was first detected in humans by Miller and Marinelli
in the spring of
1955.
(2)
These measurements have been pursued extensively at
the Argonne National Laboratory using a large NaI(Tl) crystal detector and at
the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory using a large whole body liquid scintillation detector
(3).
Whole body measurements on personnel at the Radiobiology Laboratory were
made to (a) monitor for possible contamination with the gamma emitting radioelements with which we work,
and
(b)
to determine cst3/ burdens
in persons
from the Salt Lake City area.
Positioning of Humans:
Human measurements were made with our whole body gamma counter, K-9 Bark
11{4),
Positioning was as shown on the following page.