Re: Contaminated uranium in the news again

["Raymond A. Hoover" <rayhoover@HOTMAIL.COM>]

I just finished a review of some of the papers referenced in the document.  

The levels of contamination were on the order of ppb for Pu and Np, and 

levels of ppm for Tc-99 (relative to U).  That doesn't strike me as  a 

significant increase.  In addition, virtually from start they were aware of 

Pu in the recycled uranium, and appeared to have taken protective steps as a 

consequence.  Now I suppose one could argue about the appropriateness of the 

steps, since what was done was not well reviewed in the papers.  Mention was 

made of masks and PPE's and bioassay programs.  What kind of masks and the 

etc's was not really discussed.





>From: "Phil Hypes" <laradcon@HOTMAIL.COM>

>Reply-To: "Phil Hypes" <laradcon@HOTMAIL.COM>

>To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

>Subject: Re: Contaminated uranium in the news again

>Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 07:11:50 -0600

>

>"That exposure could significantly increase their odds of developing cancer

>and other diseases."

>

>This statement strikes me as a little misleading, at least concerning

>external exposure.  Anyone who worked around this stuff wearing dosimetry

>would have had their total dose recorded, not just their dose from Uranium.

>Any if people worked around it without dosimetry, it was probably because

>someone had checked the exposure rates from the material and found them to

>be below applicable limits.  So nothing has really be "significantly

>increased" from an external exposure standpoint.

>

>Risks from internal uptake, of course, would be another matter.

>

>Phil Hypes

>Los Alamos Radiation Consultants

>laradcon@hotmail.com

>505.920.9712

>

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