RE: RADSAFE digest 3459

["Hayes, Robert" <hayesr@wipp.carlsbad.nm.us>]

Actually, in the manual for good practices at uranium facilities, a value is
given where the chemical effects from uranium uptake (it is a heavy metal) are
outweighed by the radiological consequences of uranium uptake.  As I recall,
the radiological effects outweigh the chemical at around 25% U-235 enrichment.
Sincerely,
Robert Hayes Ph.D
Radiological Control (MS 452-09)
Westinghouse Government Services Group (WIPP)
P.O. Box 2078
Carlsbad, NM 88221

Ph# 505-234-8926
Fx# 505-234-8298


-----Original Message-----
From: Holloway3@aol.com [mailto:Holloway3@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 09, 2000 10:34 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: RADSAFE digest 3459


In a message dated 10/9/00 5:30:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu writes:

<< I am trying to find out if anyone might have an idea of the health 
 consequences when one consumes high levels (800pCi/liter or around 700 
 micrograms)of Uranium for 5 years from their well water. The family has been 
 told that it is not absorbed through the skin in its soluble state, but 
there 
 seems to be at least a couple of people who do not agree with that 
statement. 
 I have also found a couple of studies that tell it differently.  >>

Tammy, 

If we knew  the health consequences of  low level exposure to uranium or 
radiation in general, there would be a great deal less discussion on this 
list.  You probably will not find an answer to your question and if anyone 
claims to have an answer, they probably will not be telling the truth.  It 
seems that hair analysis is popular these days as a part of  "alternative 
medicine".   I suspect that the greatest damage from the well water exposure 
will be increased worry rather than actual physical damage to health.  The 
best approach to this problem is to tell the patient that there is some 
reason to believe that a little radiation may be beneficial and that there is 
no reason to think that the health problems are related to uranium.  If there 
are any health problems,  look for different, more common reasons because it 
is not likely that you will find any valid studies that will link this level 
of exposure to real health effects.  The fact that the level of uranium in 
hair was several hundred times normal does not necessarily mean anything.  If 
the normal level is virtually zero, then a level several hundred times that 
could be very little.  This may seem like a cynical reply but I am tired of 
alternative medicine, most of which is bunk.  The best that can be done is to 
go to a good doctor and follow his or her advice and forget about unlikely, 
alternative solutions.  Someone called me a couple of years ago with a 
similar situation and I told them that they were working very hard to find 
something to worry about, by doing hair analysis for uranium. 

R. Holloway
holloway3@aol.com



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