Re: News on BNL Deer

[Kai Kaletsch <info@eic.nu>]

Wouldn't you expect more Cs in a fawn than in an adult deer? Isn't milk a Cs

pathway?



Why is consuming 64 pounds of deer meat considered unlikely? (It might be a

challenge to do in one sitting, but the hunter that kills the deer will

likely end up eating most of it.)



Kai



----- Original Message -----

From: <Cehn@AOL.COM>

To: <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 10:38 AM

Subject: News on BNL Deer





> Tues. Feb 19, 2002

> Radiation Is High in Dead Deer

> By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY

>

> Rudolph may not be the only glowing deer in town.

>

> A dead fawn found last month on the property of Brookhaven National

Laboratory on Long Island was tested and found to have many times the level

of radiation typically found in big game in the area, lab officials revealed

yesterday.

>

> "It's an oddball," said Timothy Green, the natural resources manager at

the Suffolk County lab. "This is twice the highest level we've seen on site.

It's highly unusual."

>

> Lab officials believe the 2-year-old deer ate grass growing on soil

contaminated by radioactive material somewhere on the 5,265-acre lab

grounds.

>

> Though 95% of the soil on the lab's property has been cleaned, Green said

two fenced-off areas are still scheduled for decontamination.

>

> "The likely scenario is that the deer fed in those fenced areas or other

areas before they were cleaned up," Green said.

>

> Although Green insisted the find posed no risk to humans who came into

contact with the deer, lab officials are concerned for people who hunt in

the area.

>

> "Eating the deer meat poses a health risk to humans," Green said. "But you

would have to consume almost 64 pounds of it. That's not likely to happen."

>

> Tested Several Times

>

> The fawn's carcass was found near the William Floyd Parkway on Jan. 9. The

animal appeared to have been struck by a car.

>

> After several radiation tests on the deer, lab scientists found it

contained 21 picocuries of radioactive material. A picocurie is a unit used

to measure radioactivity.

>

> Last year, deer collected around the lab averaged 1.64 picocuries,

although one registered 11 picocuries, Green said.

>

> If consumed, high levels of radiation can affect cells in humans and lead

to cancer. According to health officials, safe levels of radiation exposure

in humans hover around 9 picocuries a year.

>

> Hunting is allowed near the lab in January. Brookhaven lab officials

informed community groups and the state Health Department of the deer find.

>

> Green said there is no need for alarm, but the lab is taking the matter

seriously.

>

> "The concern here is mainly for wildlife in the area," he said. "And we

want to make sure we are protecting the health of hunters."

>

>

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