Re: The Tooth Fairy project

["Patricia Milligan" <PXM@nrc.gov>]

Norm and Radsafe folks,
   
At the risk of asking a very naive question  (apologies to all if this has been asked before) :If the tooth fairy project is convinced that nuclear power plants are emitting Sr90 at such levels, why  do they not sample the water, air, soil and vegetation around  all nuclear power plants?  It would seem to me that for Sr90 to be incorporated into the teeth, it somehow needs to be in the air/food/water pathway and would be present in high enough concentrations to certainly be detected.  I do not think, although I most certainly could be wrong, that Sr90 emissions immediately seek out only small children, looking to be incorporated into their teeth and deposit no where else except the teeth of small children.  Shouldn't   soil/air/vegetation/water analysis in the 10/50 miles around nuclear plants show levels that would be consistent with levels seen in teeth? If one can analyze teeth for Sr90 isn't it also possible and perhaps easier, to analyze water/soil/vegetation/air ?    Also it would seem to me that the environmental analysis could be more easily controlled, so that the results would be meaningful.  



Patricia A Milligan, CHP
pxm@nrc.gov
301-415-2223

>>> norco@bellatlantic.net 08/12 4:58 PM >>>
Hi,
My reply below. Thanks you for writing in a calm and professional manner to me.

Holloway3@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 8/10/00 9:01:22 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Norm Cohen
> writes:
>
>
> Norm,
>
> I think that you will find that Sr-90 peaked in the environment in the early
> 1960s, not in the late 1950s, as you say.

------ Sorry, I wasn't clear. Teeth are being collected in Toms River that show
Sr-90 levels like in the mid to late 50s. I did not imply that that was the
height of Sr-90. I'd have to check to see if, and how many, teeth show 1960s
levels.-------

> The significance of this is that
> teeth collected in the late 1950s may not be a suitable yardstick for
> comparison with teeth collected today, as you imply.

> The Soviets and the
> U.S. exploded an enormous number of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere in the
> early 60s, just prior to the atmospheric test ban treaty.  This added
> inventory may very well have contributed to the relatively high (compared to
> the late 50s) level of Sr-90 in recent teeth.  In addition, rainfall patterns
> can play an important role in removing radioactive materials from the
> atmosphere, so that the levels of  fallout are not uniform around the
> country.  Comparing Sr-90 in teeth,  as you are trying to do, is a more
> complex chore than you realize.

--------- I have come to realize, especially through dicsussion with you all,
exactly what you say in the paragraph above.  MY position on the TFP has been
that I consider it as a start, an indicator that something is happening with
nuke plants and emissions. I understand that the fallout patterns are not
uniform. What would alarm me, and make me ask for additional studies, is if the
TFP found high sr-90 in teeth around ALL the nuke plant sites. This would lessen
the chance of fallout being the culprit. I also understand the problems with food
and milk and how the Sr-90
gets into the fetus when teeth are being formed. I understand, and stated this to
Sandy Perle in a posting awhile back, that there are flaws in the TFP.

    Still, the general premise, that above ground testing has stopped and that
Sr-90 in teeth should show lower amounts every year, and thus if there are higher
amounts from 1980 on that this 'new' sr-90 may well be coming from nuke plants,
is a theory that needs to be explored. ------

peace
norm


>
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