Sune 30, 1978

Page

2

In addition to these whole body measurements, thin crystal
dual NaI-Csi(Tl) detectors were used to determine the possible
presence of actinide nuclides. in the skull (head) and lungs
(thorax).
By subtraction of a control subject, it was possible
to remove the contribution. from the 1.46 MeV gamma from K-40.

A suitable Cs-137 phantom was then subtracted to account for
the contribution of the 0.66 MeV gamma of barium-137 m and the

32 keV X ray characteristic of barium.

The resulting count

rate in the Am-241 60 keV energy region was,

Figures

6 and 7,

as seen in

essentially non-significant and not different

from the control subject.

It is concluded, therefore, that

there is no detectable Am-241 in either subject at this time
of measurement.

Similarly,

there was no Pu-239 X-ray peak

observable in the net spectra ohtained by the procedure

described:
It has been calculated that with 1.72 wCi of Cs-137
present, our lower limit of detection for Am-241 in the skull

1S approximately 200 pCi.

For your information,

Laplander (reindeer
with you recently.
people are recorded
those of the Bikini
letter

I have enclosed a copy of the

herder) population article that I discussed
I think it is important that many of these
as having Cs-137 body burdens similar to
residents, and I have just sent off a

to our associates at Dr.

Miettinen's

laboratory to see

if there is any epidemiological health evidence available for
this group.

I look forward to our continued collaboration in this area.
If you have any questions as to the meaning of any result, |

please don't hesitate to call.

Very truly yours,

¥

) we,

Norman Cohen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of
Environmental Medicine

NC/j
Encilesures
cc:

Dr. M.
Dr.

Eisenbud

M.E.

Wrenn

Dr. H. Spitz
Dr.

S.

Cohn

Dr.

N.

Greenhouse

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Brookhaven National Laboratory

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Dr. Robert Conard

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