Re: Protection & Detection: Pu Airborne

[mgoldman@ucdavis.edu (Dr. Marvin Goldman)]

>Technical advice needed:
>  Let's assume for the moment an individual is planning to travel to a nation
>where Health Physics is a restricted or ignored area of specialization, and
>that individual will likely be entering an area where it is probable that
>Plutonium will exist in an airborne form.  What, if any, inconspicuous
>measures could that individual take to A) Minimize the intake of Plutonium
>particles?  B) Clear such dust from his respiratory passages following
>exposure?  C) Determine the level of exposure on return to the U.S.  The
>"Inconspicuous" requirement is limited to A) above.    Also, what devices are
>available and have a track record (history) which will monitor existence and
>extent of airborne Plutonium contamination?  I am aware that numerous consul-
>tants are available for extensive work in these areas, but the initial search
>is to the supremely valuable resource that is RADSAFE.  The above hypothetical
>situation is real.  Please post answers here, or if too lengthy, send to the
>address/FAX below.  Thanks for your time and consideration.
>
>John C. White, RSO
>The University of Texas at Austin  OEHS
>304 E. 24th St.  SER 202
>Austin, TX  78712-1024
>(512) 471-2042
>(512) 471-6918 FAX
>OHJCW@UTXDP.DP.UTEXAS.EDU
1. Only exhale!(A)
2. Visit a psychiatrist to help you understand why you went there.
3. Airborne Pu is usually of particle size distributions too lagre to be an
inhalation concern.
4. If true contamination existed as you suggest, all the locals would be
showing interesting effects, if not sooner, than later.
5. Body burdens of Pu can be estimated from urine analysis and if high
enough from measuring the Pu K alpha x-ray. (C)
6. I know of no place on the planet where I would postulate unknown Pu
contamination with airborne dust that was not documented to some extent,
even in developing countries; now if you are reading Tom Clancy, that is
another matter....and for that consult, I charge a lot.
6. This is worth just what you paid for it.