Re: Deadly Plutonium ?

["Elizabeth M. Brackett" <brackett@bright.net>]

>Article of intrest in the Sunday 2/6/2000 Louisville KY Courier Journal. =
>http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2000/0002/06/000206uranium.html
>
>Is 2/100th of a ounce of injested plutonium immediatly leathal?
>
No, it isn't.  This is an interesting statement because most of the article
and sidebar seem relatively reasonable and balanced. They quoted an
individual from the  Nuclear Control Institute, but noted that it was an
organization generally critical of the nuclear industry. It goes on to
state that inhaling smaller amounts of plutonium results in an increased
cancer risk, which is true. It's "safer" to ingest plutonium because it's
relatively insoluble and doesn't absorb into the body from the GI tract
easily.  I'd like to know what their source of information was.

Liz Brackett


******************************
  Elizabeth M. Brackett, CHP 
     Sr. Health Physicist     
     MJW Corporation, Inc.       
       (330) 644-3757        
  mailto:brackett@bright.net 
******************************
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