Internal Radiation Exposure Research Articles

A Mortality Study of Employees of the Nuclear Industry in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

An analysis was conducted of 27,982 deaths among 106,020 persons employed at four Federal nuclear plants in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, between 1943 and 1985. The main objectives were to extend the evaluation of the health effects of employment in the nuclear industry in Oak Ridge to include most workers who were omitted from earlier studies, to compare the mortality experience of workers among the facilities, to address methodological problems that occur when individuals employed at more than one facility are included in the analysis, and to conduct dose-response analyses for those individuals with potential exposure to external radiation. All-cause mortality and all-cancer mortality were in close agreement with national rates. The only notable excesses occurred for white males for lung cancer [standardized mortality ratio (SMR) = 1.18, 1,849 deaths] and non-malignant respiratory disease (SMR = 1.12, 1,568 deaths). A more detailed analysis revealed substantial differences in death rates among workers at the Oak Ridge plants. Evaluation of internally adjusted log SMRs using Poisson regression showed that workers employed only at Tennessee Eastman Corporation or K-25 and at multiple facilities had higher death rates than similar workers employed only at X-10 or Y-12, and that the differences were primarily due to non-cancer causes. Analysis of selected cancer causes for white males indicated large differences among the workers at the different facilities for lung cancer, leukemia and other lymphatic cancer. Dose-response analyses for external penetrating radiation were limited to a subcohort of 28,347 white males employed at X-10 or Y-12. Their collective recorded dose equivalent was 376 Sv. There was a strong "healthy worker effect" in this subcohort-all-cause SMR = 0.80 (4,786 deaths) and all-cancer SMR = 0.87 (1,134 deaths). Variables included in the analyses were age, birth cohort, a measure of socioeconomic status, length of employment, internal radiation exposure potential and facility. For external radiation dose with a 10-year lag, the excess relative risk was 0.31 per Sv (95% CI = -0.16, 1.01) for all causes and 1.45 per Sv (95% CI = 0.15, 3.48) for all cancer. The estimated excess relative risk for leukemia was negative but imprecisely determined. A preliminary dose adjustment procedure was developed to compensate for missing dose but not other dosimetry errors. Results of the analyses using the adjusted doses suggest that the effect of missing dose is an upward bias in dose-response coefficients and test statistics.

Evaluation of Internal Alpha-Particle Radiation Exposure and Subsequent Fertility among a Cohort of Women Formerly Employed in the Radium Dial Industry

This study examined the effect of internal exposure to alpha-particle radiation on subsequent fertility among women employed in the radium dial industry prior to 1930, when appreciable amounts of radium were often ingested through the practice of pointing the paint brush with the lips. The analysis was limited to women for whom a radium body burden measurement had been obtained and who were married prior to age 45 (n = 603). Internal radiation dose to the ovary was calculated based on initial intakes of radium-226 and radium-228, average ovarian mass, number and energy of alpha particles emitted, fraction of energy absorbed within the ovary, effective retention integrals and estimated photon irradiation. Time between marriage and pregnancy, number of pregnancies and number of live births served as surrogates for fertility. Radiation appeared to have no effect on fertility at estimated cumulative ovarian dose equivalents below 5 Sv; above this dose, however, statistically significant declines in both number of pregnancies and live births were observed. These trends persisted after multivariable adjustment for potential confounding variables and after exclusion of subjects contributing a potential classification or selection bias to the study. Additionally, the high-dose group experienced fewer live births than would have been expected based on population rates. There were no differences in time to first pregnancy between high- and low-dose groups. These results are consistent with earlier studies of gamma-ray exposures and suggest that exposure to high doses of radiation from internally deposited radium reduces fertility rather than inducing sterility.

Effect of dietary zinc content on 65Zn metabolism in mice.

65Zn is one of the induced radioactive nuclides which are generated in power reactors. In the present experiment, several parameters of 65Zn metabolism were studied in mice maintained on diets with various zinc contents from 45 to 4,500 mg/kg to evaluate the efficacy of the dilution method for radiation protection against internal contamination with 65Zn. Gastrointestinal absorption of 65Zn was suppressed and its excretion accelerated as the dietary zinc content increased over a wide range. Clearance of 65Zn from tissues was generally accelerated by feeding mice a high-zinc diet, but that from the femurs was not affected by dietary zinc content. Zinc concentrations in tissues were regulated homeostatically up to a dietary zinc content of 1,350 mg/kg. Although a significant accumulation of zinc occurred in the liver, pancreas, kidneys, and femurs when mice were given 4,500 mg/kg diet, the concentrations except in the femurs recovered within a few days after switching to a normal-zinc diet. These results suggest that oral administration of zinc is effective for preventing the absorption and for enhancing the excretion of 65Zn to protect the body from internal radiation exposure with this isotope.

The effect of dietary levels of selenium on radiation resistance and radiation-induced carcinogenesis

Combined (internal plus external) radiation exposure of the population and emergency workers, as a result of the Chernobyl accident, increased the oncogenic risk, and to reduce it is a problem of the utmost importance. A long-term experiment in 400 rats exposed to radiation following the Chernobyl pattern showed that a selenium-enriched diet started after exposure caused a longer average lifespan and a 1.5 – 3.5 fold decrease of leukaemias and other malignancies, e.g. breast, thyroid and lung cancers, etc., at late times. Selenium was first demonstrated to provide protection against late effects which is equivalent to a whole-body dose reduction by 1.4 Sv (140 rem). The dietary levels of selenium used were above those accepted as physiological but considerably below toxic ones (10, 30 and 100 μg Se/day per capita).

Mortality of workers at a nuclear materials production plant at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1947-1990

The Y-12 plant at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, produced nuclear materials for the U.S. government's nuclear weapons program beginning in 1943. Workers at Y-12 were exposed to low dose, internal, alpha radiation and external, penetrating radiation, as well as to beryllium, mercury, solvents, and other industrial agents. This paper presents updated results from a long-term mortality study of workers at Y-12 between 1947 and 1974, with follow-up of white men through 1990 and data reported for the first time for women and men of other races. Vital status was determined through searches of the National Death Index and other records, and the workers' mortality was compared to the national population's using standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Total mortality was low for all Y-12 workers and total cancer mortality was as expected. Among the 6,591 white men, there were 20% more lung cancer deaths than expected (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.38). Death rates from brain cancer and several lymphopoietic system cancers were also elevated among white men, with SMRs of 1.28 and 1.46. Mortality from cancer of the pancreas, prostate, and kidney was similarly elevated. There was evidence of excess breast cancer among the 1,073 female workers (SMR 1.21, 95% CI 0.60-2.17). Lung cancer mortality among these workers warrants continued surveillance because of the link between internal alpha radiation exposure and this disease, but other agents, notably beryllium, also merit considerations as potential causes of lung cancer. Other cancers and agents should also be investigated as part of a comprehensive study of the health consequences of the production of nuclear weapons.

Assessment of radiation doses to aquatic organism's in the chernobyl contaminated area

Internal and external radiation exposures of aquatic organisms (algae, molluscs, fish) are estimated over the affected Chernobyl area. The estimates are made based on experimental data about radionuclide content in components of aquatic ecosystems of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) cooling pond, the Dnieper watershed rivers and the Dnieper reservoirs. To reconstruct and predict the radiation doses a mathematical model of an aquatic ecosystem was proposed, which was verified with monitoring data. The model describes dynamic processes of radionuclide migration and accumulation with allowance for ecological factors which are explicitly included in the model equations. The highest irradiation was shown to occur in benthic organisms of the nearest zone around the Chernobyl NPP. For most water reservoirs outside the Chernobyl NPP area, irradiation levels of aquatic organisms do not go beyond the limits of ‘small doses’.

95/00828 CRC handbook of management of radiation protection programs - Second Edition

Organization and Management of a Radiation Safety Office (Steven H. King and Rodger W. Granlund). Organization and Management of a Nonionizing Radiation Safety Program (Zorach R. Glaser). Organization and Management of a Laser Safety Program (Kelly L. Classic). Management of Low-Level Radioactive Waste (John R. Vincenti). Management of Monitoring Programs (R. Craig Yoder). Management of Radiation Therapy Patients (Donald E. Velkley). Management of Emergency Care for Radiation Accident Victims (Mary Ellen Berger and Robert C. Ricks). Evaluation and Control of Internal Radiation Exposures on the Basis of Committed Dose Equivalent (Kenneth W. Skrable). Properly Relating Radiation Protection Requirements to Relative Radiotoxicity and Risk (Allen Brodsky). Radiation Emergency Planning - Damage, Evaluation, and Control Procedures (Robert G. Gallaghar). Planning for and Management of Radiation Accidents (Sydney W. Porter, Jr.). Emergency Response Decisions in the Planning Process - Predetermined Conditions for Predetermined Actions (James A. Martin, Jr.). Accident Consequence Projection (Thomas J. McKenna and Joseph G. Giitter). Education and Training in Radiation Protection (Allen Brodsky, Phyllis L. Brodsky, and Kenneth L. Mossman). Education and Training for Radiation Protection in Nuclear Power Plants (Charles A. Willis). Requirements and Preparation for Passing the American Board of Health Physics Certification Examinations (Charles A. Willis). Education and Training of Radiologic Technologists (Dolores A. Thomas). Summary of Experience in Radiation Litigation (Vincent P. Collins). Legal Aspects of Health Physics Record Keeping (Donald E. Jose). Preparing for Court Appearances (Donald E. Jose). Radiological Controls Documentation in Radiation Injury Litigation (Gordon M. Lodde).

The Radiotoxicology of Radithor

Radithor was a radioactive patent medicine that was touted as a metabolic stimulant and aphrodisiac. We have obtained several original samples of Radithor and have used these historical specimens and a computer-based calculation model to perform a retrospective analysis of a famous case of Radithorrelated radium poisoning. Our data suggest that the victim's cumulative skeletal radiation dose may have exceeded 350 Sv by the time he died. This figure far exceeds most current estimates of what radiation exposure level would constitute a rapidly lethal dose if given acutely. The physiological response to long-term internal radiation exposure and the highly localized nature of alpha particle irradiation may require the development of new models for the assessment of risk in cases of internal alpha particle irradiation. (<i>JAMA.</i>1990;264:619-621)

The radiotoxicology of Radithor. Analysis of an early case of iatrogenic poisoning by a radioactive patent medicine

Radithor was a radioactive patent medicine that was touted as a metabolic stimulant and aphrodisiac. We have obtained several original samples of Radithor and have used these historical specimens and a computer-based calculation model to perform a retrospective analysis of a famous case of Radithor-related radium poisoning. Our data suggest that the victim's cumulative skeletal radiation dose may have exceeded 350 Sv by the time he died. This figure far exceeds most current estimates of what radiation exposure level would constitute a rapidly lethal dose if given acutely. The physiological response to longterm internal radiation exposure and the highly localized nature of alpha particle irradiation may require the development of new models for the assessment of risk in cases of internal alpha particle irradiation.

Worker Exposures during the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Recovery

AbstractExternal and internal radiation exposures to workers involved in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 recovery effort are reviewed. The 1979 accident left the plant with several areas with radiatio...

Calculation of Internal Radiation Exposures at a High Energy Electron Accelerator

Cet article examine la magnitude des expositions internes chez des personnes qui effectuent des decoupages, des broyages, percages des composants actives des faisceaux de radiation. Les isotopes et leurs concentrations sont determines pour comparer exposition interne et externe

Determination of particle size for airborne UO2 dust at a fuel fabrication work station and its implication on the derivation and use of ICRP Publication 30 derived air concentration values.

When internal radiation exposure occurs via the inhalation route, the activity deposition in the respiratory tract is dependent on the particle size distribution of the radioactive aerosol. This fact has been recognized by ICRP Publication 30 in which annual limit of intake (ALI) and derived air concentration (DAC) values have been calculated for a variety of radionuclides based upon an activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of 1 micron. When radioactive aerosols have AMADs not equal to 1 micron, ICRP Publication 30 suggests the use of correction factors to calculate the appropriate ALI and DAC values. This work describes the measurement of particle size distribution for UO2 dust at a fuel fabrication work station by means of a cascade impactor. Measurements were made on 39 d spread over a 10-mo period to determine if the particle size distribution was stable over a year. The results of this study indicate that for this work station the measured AMAD values are not stable over a year. A discussion is provided on the treatment of such particle-size distribution data with the objective of extracting a representative particle-size distribution value, upon which an ALI and a DAC value can be determined. The observations made in this study have implications on the application of ICRP Publication 30 recommendations to operational health physics practice.

A comparison of calculated indoor radiation exposure with the results of measurements

A model has been developed for the calculation of external and internal radiation exposure of the population in dwellings. The model consists of two adjacent rooms on top of a crawl-space. The indoor gamma ray exposure rates and the radon concentrations in indoor air, predicted for a variety of conditions, are compared with observations. Predictions and observations are in reasonable agreement; for the radon concentration the predictions may be around 40% too low.

Radioactivity in environmental samples taken in the sellafield and ravenglass areas of west cumbria, 1977–1982

Terrestrial foodstuffs and other materials of agricultural importance have been analyzed for fission products and actinides discharged in waste from the Sellafield processing works in west Cumbria. Results obtained between 1977 and 1982 are summarized and it is concluded that the internal radiation exposure of the general public due to consumption of locally produced food in no instance amounts to more than a small fraction of recommended limits. Deposition of seaborne sediment is shown to be the main route by which radionuclides of Sellafield origin reach grazing land bordering a nearby tidal estuary.

Diagnostic evaluation on cerebral hemisphere scintigraphy using 99mTc-MAA (author's transl)

Using 99mTc-labeled macroaggregated albumin (99mTc-MAA), we made an examination of the cerebral blood flow distribution with various kinds of cerebrovascular diseases in 151 cases. The particle size of MAA used in this study ranged from 10 to 100 micron. Scan was performed after injection of 3 mCi of 99mTc-MAA into common carotid artery. No side effects were observed except for one case with headache. Distribution of 99mTc-MAA was found to be homogeneous in normal cerebral hemisphere but not in the lesion. Most lesion was shown as nonradioactive area. Meningioma with hypervascularity was represented as hot area. By this method cerebral infarct could be easily represented not only in main artery but also in such a very small artery as hardly detected by CAG. This method is therefore useful for detecting cerebral infarct, sequela of cerebral apoplexy, head injury and others. The dose of 99mTc-MAA used in this method is much lower compared with those of common brain scan, its excretion is speedy, and therefore internal radiation exposure is diminished.

Emergency management of radiation accidents.

The Joint Committee on Accreditation of Hospitals requires that hospitals have a written procedure to cope with radiation accidents. Emergency personnel, specifically, should be prepared to manage radiation accident victims initially. Guidelines currently in use in over 15 hospitals in the United States include 1) advance notification to the hospital of arrival of such patients; 2) designated treatment area; 3) operating room attire; 4) perform life-saving functions first; 5) cover open wounds and remove clothing; 6) search for contamination with radiation detector, or 7) flush all wounds if no radiation detector is available; 8) wash patient; 9) evaluate internal and external radiation exposure, and 10) obtain medical consultation. For community hospitals, a less elaborate procedure will suffice for adequate handling of radiation accident victims and accreditation.

Air exchange and 222Rn concentrations in the Carlsbad Caverns.

AbstractRadon 222 concentrations in the air in Carlsbad Caverns have been measured at different times of year in order to define certain features of the natural circulation of the cave atmosphere and to estimate the internal radiation exposure to visitors and Park Service personnel. Concentrations a

An evaluation of internal radiation exposure based on dose commitments from radionuclides in milk, food and air.

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Distribution and Retention of Plutonium-239 and Neptunium-237 in the Rat Adrenal

The deposition of several radionuclides in the adrenal gland and the apparent lack of sensitivity of this organ to prolonged radiation from internal emitters has been reported by Rhoades (1). The microscopic distribution of plutonium deposited in the adrenal is referred to briefly in her article. More recently, a number of investigators have employed advanced histochemical and biochemical techniques to demonstrate adrenal malfunction after both external and internal radiation exposure. As a rule, the radiation has not been confined to the adrenal per se, and the adrenal deposition has not represented a major fraction of the total body burden of radionuclide. In view of the varied functional role of the adrenal and the sensitivity of biological systems to adrenal secretions, it is conceivable that even low levels of internal adrenal radiation could be of biological significance. It was of interest, therefore, to observe that detectable amounts of Pu239 and Np237 were retained in rat adrenals after administration of fairly massive doses of these radionuclides. A brief description of the retention and zonal distribution of these radioelements in the adrenal gland is presented in this paper.

Estimating Human Radiation Exposure on the Animas River

The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) has recently completed comprehensive studies of radioactive pollution of the Animas River, an interstate stream, under requirements stated in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The studies were conducted as a result of the interstate pollution abatement enforcement action instituted by USPHS at the request of New Mexico. They illustrate several of the basic principles that are important to the rational, successful control of radioactive water pollutants, and provide a practical case study that may be useful as a guide for solving future problems of radioactive liquid waste control. The Animas receives wastes from a uranium ore refinery in Durango, Colorado, and flows south into New Mexico. It is the main source of water for the area and is used for domestic water supply, irrigation of croplands, recreation, and waste disposal. Study results indicated that the total internal radiation exposure of downstream populations was greater than the limits recommended for general population exposure. Studies of the fate of Ra220, the primary pollutant, in the stream environment and in local water plants, led to the development of rational, efficient pollution abatement measures. These measures were installed quickly, and subsequent surveys showed that they resulted in a much higher standard of radiation protection than would have been achieved by enforcement of preset, arbitrary effluent or stream standards.