AW: [ RadSafe ]J Environmental Radioactivity, Welcome to the New Mexico Legislature Web Site

[Franz Schönhofer]

Roger,

I comment only on your question about the Journal of Environmental
Radioactivity. 

About 15 years ago my institute subscribed to it due to my demand for it. I
have read it for almost ten years, since a few years I do not have access to
it any more. 

I think that the quality of a journal depends on many factors, one being the
quality of the referees. I found both excellent and mediocre papers in it,
as you can do in any journal. In 1987 I was really shocked to read in Health
Physics (the "bible" of radiation protection) a paper about gross alpha and
beta radioactivity in aerosols in Madrid after the Chernobyl accident - we
had shortly after the accident nuclide specific data of aerosols,
precipitation, soil, milk, vegetation, food, water etc. etc. in Austria, as
those date were also available in practically all European countries,
including dose estimates. Spain was practically not affected by Chernobyl
fallout and to use in 1987 gross-measurements like in the stone-age of
radiation surveillance was a shame - but Health Physics published it!

All papers published at JER are no doubt scientific. What I never read on
JER was any anti-nuclear or green propaganda. I do not know the article(s)
you cited because of my non-existing access. Who are the authors - this
might give some hints. Without knowing the article I would be sure, that
also this one would not distribute the unfounded anti-DU propaganda.

There are more than enough reports about DU use and its impact on soldiers
for instance in the former Yugoslav Republic by national authorities and
even international organisations (IAEA).

If you find out more about the article I would appreciate to hear about it -
most of all I would of course like an electronic copy, which might be
difficult to obtain without charge. 


Franz Schoenhofer, PhD
MinRat i.R.
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Wien/Vienna
AUSTRIA


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] Im Auftrag
von Roger Helbig
Gesendet: Dienstag, 27. November 2007 11:21
An: radsafelist
Betreff: [ RadSafe ] Welcome to the New Mexico Legislature Web Site

Here is the website about the New Mexico bill -- I just got this link.  I
understand that State Senator Pino's staff may be able to provide additional
information about who testified, etc.

Can any of you comment on the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity -- is
this is a good source - it is cited as the reference for the health effects,
none of which are known to have actually occured

 
http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.asp?chamber=S&type=++&number=840&year=
07

>From one of the links on this site -- 

Senate Bill 840 – Page 2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES 

Concerns have been raised that American military personnel have been exposed
to depleted uranium from military weapons during the Middle East conflicts
in the past two decades. These exposures may have some long-term health
effects. 

Depleted uranium is widely used in the manufacture of heavy munitions and
armor in many of the U.S. military and other western military’s weapons
systems. The material is 1.7 times denser than lead, and provides an
advantage when competing against more traditional materials. Dusts and
particulates from these munitions exist in the air and on the ground in
battlefield conditions. 

Exposure to aerosolized depleted uranium particulates has been thought to
cause acute irreversible damage to kidney function and other organ damage
when very high exposure levels occur.1There is usually an extended time
period between an exposure to radioactive materials and the growth of
related cancers, such as leukemia and other types.2

According to the Department of Health, there is health information on
uranium exposure available on multiple websites including the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs. However, developing targeted educational
outreach, in language understandable by the lay person, would address
specific concerns of veterans exposed to depleted uranium. 

RELATIONSHIP 

Senate Bill 840 relates to House Bill 736. House Bill 736 provides uranium
training to veterans. Senate Bill 840 complements Senate Bill 841, which
appropriates $200 thousand and seeks to establish a testing protocol,
develop and establish a health registry, and contract with appropriate
testing laboratories and coordinate affected parties in regard to voluntary
testing program for military veterans who may have been exposed to depleted
uranium. 

TECHNICAL ISSUES There is a substantial amount of available information
regarding this issue in existence. The bill does not clarify whether the
Veterans’ Services department would be responsible for producing
information/ research on the depleted uranium, or whether they would be
compiling existing research to distribute to affected veterans.

PD/nt 

1Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Properties, use and health effects
of depleted uranium (DU): a general overview, 2-5-2002 
2Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Properties, use and health effects
of depleted uranium (DU): a general overview, 2-5-2002


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