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Re: Deadly Plutonium ?
Likely not from chemical toxicity; gut absorption is small, perhaps on the
order of 3 x 10E-5, so the amount taken up would be small, about 15
microgram. However, unless my calculations are off, ingestion of 2/100 oz
= 30 mCi (referenced to Pu-239), would irradiate the sensitive cells lining
the gut at a level which I suspect might be high enough (I did not do the
calculations) to cause death after a few days or weeks or serious injury
from radiation effects on the gut cells. [Again I comment that I have not
done the calculations so this is a semieducated guess.]
Uptake of about 15 microgram of Pu-239 is about a microcurie, which is far
more Pu than I would care to have in my body.
Ron Kathren
----- Original Message -----
From: Gerald Schlenker <glschl1@pop.uky.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 6:39 AM
Subject: Deadly Plutonium ?
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> 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?
>
> Gerald Schlenker
> GLSCHL1@pop.uky.edu
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> <DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>Article of intrest in the =
> Sunday=20
> 2/6/2000 Louisville KY Courier Journal. <A=20
> href=3D"http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2000/0002/06/000206urani=
> um.html">http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2000/0002/06/000206uran=
> ium.html</A></FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>Is 2/100th of a ounce of =
> injested=20
> plutonium immediatly leathal?</FONT></DIV>
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> <DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>Gerald =
> Schlenker</FONT></DIV>
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> size=3D2>GLSCHL1@pop.uky.edu</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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