Re: Compensation of survivors -- bomb test exercises -- uptake of radionuclides

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

Private:

Franz Schoenhofer

Habicherg. 31/7

A-1160 Vienna, AUSTRIA

Phone: -43 699 11681319

e-mail: franz.schoenhofer@chello.at



Office:

MR Dr. Franz Schoenhofer

Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management

Dep. I/8U, Radiation Protection

Radetzkystr. 2

A-1031 Vienna, AUSTRIA

phone: +43-1-71100-4458

fax: +43-1-7122331

e-mail: franz.schoenhofer@bmu.gv.at







-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: Franta, Jaroslav <frantaj@AECL.CA>

An: Radsafe (E-mail) <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Datum: Donnerstag, 16. August 2001 22:10

Betreff: RE: Compensation of survivors -- bomb test exercises -- uptake of

radionuclides





>Dukelow, James S Jr wrote:

>

>If I am remembering correctly, soldiers who participated in bomb test

>exercises

>were never monitored for internal uptake of radionuclides.  How can you

know

>that exposures were small?

><><><><><><><><><><><><>

>

>Comment:

>

>In at least some cases, internal uptake of radionuclides can be estimated

>from environmental radiation surveys of bomb test sites.

>For example, in the case of the British H-bomb tests on (above) Christmas

>Island (Kiribati), extensive environmental radiation surveys  were

conducted

>by an independent laboratory hired by the Kiribati Government in March

1981,





The original question was on soldiers participating in bomb test exercises

and their internal uptake. This uptake would be almost exclusively by

inhalation of radioactive gases (especially I-131) and aerosols and dust

from fallout, containing all short- and long-lived radionuclides. One should

not forget the impact of radioactive dust settling on the clothes and the

skin. Ever heard about the Fuku Maru????



That decades after an atmospheric explosion no I-131 is present, that dust

as well as aerosols have settled or been driven to the sea is not

surprising. That decades after atmospheric testing middle- to long-lived

radionuclides only can be found by sophisticated methods and no dose rate

elevation can be noticed has been well confirmed by the International

Mururoa Study conducted by the IAEA on the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa.

But this has nothing to do with the original question and cannot be used as

an argument to claim without further knowledge, that the situation of the

soldiers was harmless.



Best regards,



Franz







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