Plutonium References

["GOLDIN, ERIC" <goldinem@songs.sce.com>]

     In addition to the references already mentioned on Radsafe, 
     anyone interested in the facts about plutonium hazards can refer 
     to:
     
          A Perspective on the Dangers of Plutonium, Sutcliffe, et al.
          Lawrence Livermore publication UCRL-JC-118825, 4/14/95
     
          Radioactivity and Health, J. Newell Stannard, several pages  
          relating plutonium to other toxic materials, pp. 367 - 369.
     
          Atomic Overreaction, Jeff Wheelwright, Atlantic Monthly,     
          April, 1995, pg. 26 - 38.
     
          Plutonium: Facts and Inferences, EPRI EA-43-SY, August,      
          1976 (Cohen and Stannard contributors).
     
     Eric Goldin
     Southern California Edison
     (714) 368-7532
     goldinem@songs.sce.com
     
     
On Mon, 28 Aug 1995 CHATHO@delphi.com wrote:
     
> Remember the statement that Pu is the most hazardous substance/material known 
> to man?  K.K.S. (Sam) Pillay at LANL is looking for citable references - pro 
> and con - for a compliation.  Send any reference you know about to
> s_pillay@lanl.gov (he is not a radsaf subscriber - maybe a good response will 
> get him to sing up).  My thanks for him in advance. 
> 
> Charles C. (Tommy) Thomas 
> Approved by M. S. Thomas
     
---The statement was frequently made by Ralph Nader about 1974-75. I am 
reasonably sure that it came from John Gofman. My paper-- B.L.Cohen, 
Hazards from Plutonium Toxicity, Health Phys 32: 359-379; 1977--- cites 
three references in  Nucleonics Week, Harpers Weekly, and a National 
Council of Churches publication. Ted Taylor was also making similar 
statements at that time, but I can't cite a reference. My paper gives a 
thorough analysis and rebuttal of the statement; for example, it gives 
comparative figures for sarin, botulism toxin, and anthrax spores, as 
well as for many chemicals.