Material in Wound - Pu

[eh_carbaugh@ccmail.pnl.gov (Eugene H Carbaugh)]

     The Pu particles in a dirt/soil contaminated wound are likely to be 
     cleared by processes independent of their alpha activity.  There is a 
     fair amount of wound experience in the plutonium industry, however I 
     am unaware of anyone who has attributed wound clearance to the 
     radioactivity properties.  It is not uncommon to see a short term 
     clearance component, a long term clearance component, and a permanent 
     wound site retention component, depending on the form of contaminating 
     material.  Our experience suggests that a component exists that is 
     sufficiently long-term to consider permanent wound site retention and 
     that this is probably caused by fibrosing (scar tissue with very 
     little blood flow) forming around the residual particles. 
     
     By the way, you can calculate some horrendously large (and misleading) 
     doses to small wound site tissue volumes from residual alpha 
     contamination.  The radiobiological significance of these doses is 
     nothing but can lead to some interesting discussions with less 
     knowledgeable management and regulatory compliance staff.
     
     Sorry I can't help on the mass or volume aspect of soil contamination 
     in a coral cut.  But I would speculate that it would be below a few 
     milligrams, depending on the size of the cut.
     
     Gene Carbaugh
     Internal Dosimetry
     Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
     eh_carbaugh@pnl.gov