[ RadSafe ] Plutonium with High Concentrations Hazards Summary (Draft Number One).

Fri Sep 9 11:53:54 CDT 2005

Joel, James, Otto and Jerry and others if I forgot to mention
someone.

Thank you very much, for clearing my confusion/question, living
learning :-)

I am trying to get summary:

Plutonium.

1. Acute effects based on Chemical Properties of Plutonium occur in
Kidney and Liver can be fast and lethal, when Pu intake/uptake is
"substantial". Radiation damage can be faster and lethal if a higher
amount of Intake/Uptake occur even before the Chemical acute effects
take place due to the high alpha decay radiation energy deposition
and High Linear Energy Transfer (LET) into the cell and increase of
cells temperature.

2. Long term effects based on Chemical Properties of Plutonium and
its compounds. 
".. chemical generation of hydroxyl radicals
 was expected to exceed the radiolytic generation by one hundred
 thousand-fold."**

Which can be interpreted as indirect chemical damage via
creation of hydroxyl radicals which would exceed radiation indirect
damage by one hundred thousand-fold.

(This one explains why Chemical Limit is lower than the
Radiological.)

** H.G. Clayclamp and D. Luo, "Plutonium-catalyzed oxidative DNA
damage in the absence of significant alpha-particle decay,"
Radiation Research, vol. 137 (1994), pp. 114-117,

3. New concept "Imaginary Toxicity" (IT)  should be considerate.
Normally, such measures as LD-50's, TLV',s, and ALI,s of Plutonium
TOXICANT and must not be mistaken with the biological toxins.

4. From me, I would add, if I can: 
We, Radiological Field Professionals are measuring Plutonium because
it is an alpha emitter and we can measure Plutonium concentration
faster and with the lower cost than radiochemical analysis.

5. We are in the Radiological field will be continue as we done it
ALWAYS to monitor for the plutonium contamination because of its
extreme radiological, chemical acute and possible long term effects
with high concentrations in the human body, to protect our workers
health (period)

Am I missing something, here?

Additional, responses and feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Have a nice day and a wonderful weekend everyone.

Emil. 

> 
> 
> Emil,
> 
> 
> 
> Pu is a NASTY kidney (and liver) but especially kidney toxin... The
> effects can also be quite quick, dynamic and guaranteed fatal (if
> enough
> is ingested).
> 
> 
> 
> Joel.Baumbaugh (joel.baumbaugh at navy.mil)
> 
> SSC-SD
> 
> 
> 
> Std. Disclaimer:  My opinion only, not necessarily that of the U.S.
> Navy/Fed. Govt.... ...etc., etc...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is still wonders me, why would chemical ALI being more
> restrictive
> 
> than the radiological one, if chemically via creation of toxin it
> 
> would NOT do damage to the chromosomes. Or it does and they just
> did
> 
> NOT ACCOUNT for it. (open)
> 
> Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 14:07:52 -0700
> From: "Otto G. Raabe" <ograabe at ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Pu-239 famous chemical toxitity
> To: John R Johnson <idias at interchange.ubc.ca>,	"Baumbaugh, Joel
> 	SPAWAR" <joel.baumbaugh at navy.mil>, radsafe at radlab.nl
> Message-ID: <6.0.1.1.2.20050908135956.0317bfd8 at mailbox.ucdavis.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
> 
> September 8, 2005
> 
> A "toxin" is a poisonous protein of biological origin, so metallic 
> plutonium definitely is not a "toxin".
> 
> The question should be, "Is plutonium-239 a toxicant." It might be
> a heavy 
> metal kidney blocker like uranium, but since it is an alpha emitter
> with 
> about  60 millicuries per gram, its potential radioactive damage to
> 
> biological tissues far exceeds any imaginary chemical toxicity.
> 
> Otto
> 
> **********************************************
> Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
> Center for Health & the Environment
> (Street Address: Bldg. 3792, Old Davis Road)
> University of California, Davis, CA 95616
> E-Mail: ograabe at ucdavis.edu
> Phone: (530) 752-7754   FAX: (530) 758-6140
> *********************************************** 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 10
> Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 14:08:43 -0700
> From: James Salsman <james at bovik.org>
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Pu-239 famous chemical toxitity
> To: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Message-ID: <4320A85B.3020007 at bovik.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
> 
>  > Pu as a chemical toxin is new to me. Can you give me a
>  > useful reference?
> 
> H.G. Clayclamp and D. Luo, "Plutonium-catalyzed oxidative DNA
> damage in the absence of significant alpha-particle decay,"
> Radiation Research, vol. 137 (1994), pp. 114-117, which states,
> "Using ... 242Pu ... chemical generation of hydroxyl radicals
> was expected to exceed the radiolytic generation by one hundred
> thousand-fold."
> 
> Full abstract on MEDLINE:
>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=8265780
> 
> Posted here by yours truly a month ago:
>    http://lists.radlab.nl/pipermail/radsafe/2005-August/000173.html
> 
> Sincerely,
> James
-------------------------------------------> 
> Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 14:32:46 -0700
> From: "Baumbaugh, Joel SPAWAR" <joel.baumbaugh at navy.mil>
> Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] Pu-239 famous chemical toxicity
> To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
> Message-ID:
> 
>
<7DB6DF83D2CD9140ADA0622B1A05BF2F142675 at nawespscez02.nadsuswe.nads.navy.mil>
> 	
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"
> 
> Or this site (on line):
> 
>  
> 
>
http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/ProxyServlet?objectHandle=DBMaint
>
&actionHandle=default&nextPage=jsp/chemidlite/ResultScreen.jsp&TXTSUPERL
> ISTID=007440075
> 
>  
> 
> Joel Baumbaugh again....
> 
>  
> 
>  
>> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl]
> On
> Behalf Of James Salsman
> Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 2:09 PM
> To: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Pu-239 famous chemical toxitity
> 
>  
> 
>  > Pu as a chemical toxin is new to me. Can you give me a
> 
>  > useful reference?
> 
>  
> 
> H.G. Clayclamp and D. Luo, "Plutonium-catalyzed oxidative DNA
> 
> damage in the absence of significant alpha-particle decay,"
> 
> Radiation Research, vol. 137 (1994), pp. 114-117, which states,
> 
> "Using ... 242Pu ... chemical generation of hydroxyl radicals
> 
> was expected to exceed the radiolytic generation by one hundred
> 
> thousand-fold."
> 
>  
> 
> Full abstract on MEDLINE:
> 
>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dop
> t=Abstract&list_uids=8265780
> 
>  
> 
> Posted here by yours truly a month ago:
> 
>    http://lists.radlab.nl/pipermail/radsafe/2005-August/000173.html
> 
>  
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> James
> 
>  
> 
jjcohen at prodigy.net>
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Re: Imaginary Toxicity

    Otto has suggested a concept that could be of great value in 
dealing
with hazardous materials;
namely, that of "Imaginary Toxicity" (IT). Normally, such measures as
LD-50's, TLV',s, and ALI,s  are used to evaluate the degree of hazard
associated with a hazardous substance

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