-~

17

n

t

It would take 53,000 particles of the Size illustrated
in Table III to reach the MPLB of 0.016 uCi which results

in 15 rem/yr to the entire (1000 g) lung.

However, as

Table III indicates, these particles would irradiate only
3.4 g of this 1000 g to the lung, but at a dose rate of
4000 rem/yr-°.

Thus, as Table III indicates, these particles

result in an intense but highly localized irradiation.

fundamental question is, then:
oF

A

is this intense but localized

irradiation more or less carcinogenic than uniform
*

irradiation?

Alternatively, is the DF for this particular form

of irradiation equal to, greater than, or less than one?

In

the remainder of this section, we review the guidance, or

more appropriately lack of guidance, for dealing with this

hot particle problem.

22/

Geesaman,

Donald >., UCRL-50387, pp.

8,

15.

23/ Langham, Wfight H., The Problem of Larae Area Plutoniun
Contamination, U. S. Dept. of H. E. W., Public Heaith
Services, Seminar Paper No. 002, Dec. 6, 1968, p. 7.

24/

Long, A.B., "Plutonium Inhalation:

The Burden of

Negligible Consecuence,"“ Nuclear News, June 1971, p.

71.

25/ Geesaman, Donald P., UCRL-50387, pp. 8, 15.
Based on
Geesaman's mocel for a lung at one-half maximum inflaticn.
GeeSaman estimates a total of 68 alveoli at risk, each
8x1076 cm3 in volume, and deep respiratory zone tissue density
of 0.12 g/em>.
26/

See footnote 23.

27/

Based cn a lung mass of a standard man = 1000 g.
mis
Ac

assumes
:

that

the

radiation

field of

the

53,009

Select target paragraph3