-
21
.
To these comments,
*
referenced by Geesaman,
can be added
the comments of Dr. A. B. Long:
*. .
. there is an urgent need to dispell the sense of °
security and certainty that the present limits for
the maximum permissible lung burden and the maximum
permissible air concentration bring . .. the public
should be informed of the uncertainties that exist
in these limits."?¢
V.
.
Biological Data Related to Cancer Risk from Insoluble
' Plutonium Particles
We have shown that insoluble alpha-emitting particles
result in intense but localized radiation.
They can irradiate
at very high doses without being organism- or organ fatal.
We said that the available biological data strongly suggests
that a DF=1 grossly underestimates the DE for insoluble
particulates of Pu-239, and consequently, the derived standards
‘MPLB and MPC, for this radionuclide are greatly in error.
We now turn to the experiments involving cancer induction
->-_
\
by intense local exposure, since these are especially
relevant in judging whether or not insoluble alpha-emitting
particles constitute a unique risk.
Geesaman collected
and analyzed the pertinent experiments, and what follows
32/ Long, A.B., Op, cit., p. 73.