RE: Tooth Fairy

["Harmon, Terry O'Devah (ONF) " <onf@bechteljacobs.org>]

Strontium is in the same group as Calcium on the periodic table.  This means
that they have similar chemical properties.  Strontium will act like
calcium, therefore, it will taken up by the bones and teeth.  It is probably
taken up in milk and other sources of calcium.  They are probably using baby
teeth because they are easy to collect.
Terry Harmon
Sr. Health Physics Tech
Kelly Scientific Resources
Phone: (865) 241-0289
Pager: (865) 417-1592
Email: onf@ <mailto:harmonto@ornl.gov> bechteljacobs.org


	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Patricia Milligan [SMTP:PXM@nrc.gov]
	Sent:	Monday, August 14, 2000 3:25 PM
	To:	Multiple recipients of list
	Subject:	Re: Tooth Fairy

	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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