- che
food have been established upon the assumption that some-
thing less than a dose that produces no apparent damage is
an acceptable risk.
For example, if X amount of radiation
produces no apparent damage,
acceptable risk.
then 1/10 of X should be an
Maximum permissible dose is defined by
the International Commission on Radiological Protection as
"that dose accumulated over a long period of time or
resulting from a single exposure,
which in light of present
knowledge carries a negligible probability of severe somatic
or genetic injury."
The standards for body burden and for the concentration of radioisotopes in air, water and food that are
used in this country are based upon recommendations made
by the National Committee on Radiation Protection and
Measurement and include recommendations by the International
Commission on Radiological Protection,
al Committee works closely.
with whom the Nation-
The recommendations have been
published by the National Bureau of Standards,
first in
1953 as Handbook 52 and later, in a revised and more conplete version, in 1959 as Handbook 69.
Handbook 69 is,
The title of
"Maximum Permissible Body Burdens and
Maximum Permissible
Concentrations of Radionuclides
in Air