Re: Dirty Bomb - CNN Accuracy?

[AndrewsJP@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 6/11/02 8:27:41 AM Pacific Daylight Time, epirad@mchsi.com writes:



> John,
>
>
> Do you really think someone contaminated with 
>
> radioactive materials should go home and contaminate 
>
> car, family and home or should they go to the nearest 
>
> hospital that has plans in place for decontamination 
>
> prior to possible treatment?


Bill, here is what I think!  Any explosion of radioactive material will disperse it widely and, thus, produce relatively low level contamination over a wide area.  Those nearby to the explosion will be the most affected and will get the appropriate care you suggest.  Others will get very little (relative) contamination and should clean themselves up rather soon to prevent ingestion and irradiation of the skin.  Taking a bath and washing clothing is an appropriate method for this when there are many people with minor contamination.  


If the material is metal such as Co-60, there is even smaller chance of wide dispersal because the material is metal and hard to pulverize in a form that can be widely dispersed.


If the material is radiography sources, then the same analysis applies.


If the material is Cs-137 and then only if the source is disassembled first, then the contamination will be significant and cleanup of the contaminated population is necessary.  It cannot be done in hospitals.  It, therefore, must be done by dillution and dipersion, so go home, change clothes and take a shower.  If the source is intact it will probably survive the explosion intact.  It will then be just a radiation source.


I cannot forsee that a terrorist can get enough material together to cause a real emergency where immediate hospital action is necessary to prevent short term illness or death from the radioactivity.




John Andrews

Knoxville, Tennessee