240.
|
S.H. COHN
TABLE 0
INTERNAL RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
OF MARSHALLESE PIGS EXPOSED TO
FALL-OUT FROM THE 1MAR., 1954 NUCLEAR DETONATION*
B-activity dpm/total sample x 107%
Gross
activity
Skeleton
8745
(total)
(100%)
Sr?
(alveolar)
Smail- intestine
Rare-earths
5380
595
850
(62%)
(6.8%)
(9. T%)
Lungs
Stomach
Bai*°
1.3
0.24
0.22
0.57
1.6
0, 26
0.62
0.80
2.5
0.73
0.69
0.69
Large intestine .
14
5.0
2.8
4.0
Liver
29
0.41
0.27
5.9
0.18
0.30
0.61
Kidney
Remaining
carcass
3.2
455
* These values are the average of two young adult pigs which were analysed three months after deto-
nation.
the B-dose to the skeleton at this early time. The highest dose to an individual tissue (100 to 150 rep) was delivered to the thyroid by the iodine
isotopes, This was estimated from the urinary data of the Marshallese in
comparison with clinical data.
In accord with theoretical estimates, only a small percentage of the
fission products initially found in environmental samples was found in the
tissues of the body. The level of radioactivity found in the GI tract of the
pigs, however, was high (3 mc), but because of its insoluble nature or the
large size of the particles, only a small fraction of the fall-out was able
to enter the systemic circulation [4].
Recently Van DILLA [6], by using a spectral analytical technique,
was able to demonstrate that Pu29 , Cel“ , Ru1% and Zr%, in the form
of insoluble oxides from fall-out, were found in the rumen of cattle located
near the Nevada test site, but were essentially absent (except for a trace
of Zr 9% in the liver) in the tissues of the animals.
B.
LONG-TERM STUDY
In evaluating the long-term effects resulting from both an acute ex-
posure and chronic exposure to low-level residual contamination, Sr® is
the critical element to measure. The determination of its level in the urine
of the Marshallese has been made yearly to estimate the body burden.