Re: Tooth Fairy

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

ok, I understand that, but my question remains...how does it get to childrens teeth.. You say "the teeth more closely represent ingestion and inhalation doses".. doesn't that mean that the Sr90 has to be in foods, milk or even in the air? and if it is in foods, milk and the air AND  comes from nuclear power plants, wouldn't it been seen somewhere in the vicinity of the power plant in excess of what the power plants state they are releasing? or is there a pathway that bypasses everything and only lands in childrens teeth? Surely somewhere we would have to see this Sr90..

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

>>> cicottegeorge@email.msn.com 08/14 2:45 PM >>>
Regarding Ms. Milligan's post:

Teeth are used because the affinity by 90Sr results in a high and relatively
stable bioaccumulation, and easier detection of concentrations that might
not be so easily detectable in the environment.  The results, actually, are
far less easily controlled in the open environment than in teeth.  The teeth
more closely represent ingestion and inhalation doses, versus presence of
the contaminant, than would simply sampling the vegetation or soil.  What if
no one eats that vegetation?  What if it is closely bound to something in
the vegetation or soil, and isn't really available for uptake, but is passed
through the body without interaction, etc.?

V/R
GRCicotte
Health Physicist 3
Nuclear Materials Safety
Bureau of Radiation Protection
Ohio Dept. of Health

unofficial - I have no idea whether the Governor agrees with me, but I
didn't clear this - opinion based on memory as a former NRC inspector and as
a long-time HP.

----- Original Message -----
> Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 12:15:13 -0400
> From: "Patricia Milligan" <PXM@nrc.gov>
> To: <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> Subject: Re: The Tooth Fairy project
> Message-ID: <s997e2ed.070@nrcgwia.nrc.gov>
>
> . . . 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
>



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