Re: plutonium -Reply

["Theodore S Bohn"<BST@inel.gov>]

HOW DO YOU RANK THE MOST TOXIC SUBSTANCES?

A.     Is the most toxic substance the one that kills you the fastest after
inhaling or ingesting it? If you inhale water I bet it will kill you faster
than inhaling Pu particulate and no one is afraid of water and millions
have died from inhaling it .

B.     Is it the substance that most violently kills one upon intake?

C.     Is it the substance that is fatal and has has no known antidote?

D.     Is it the substance that takes the least amount to kill you?

Toxic is a scarry word that makes you think of death or dying if you have
an intake.  In relating with the public, it's important that we be as down
to earth and clear as possible to put Pu into perspective with other toxic
materials.

After all, once your dead, your dead, no matter what substance does it upon
intake.  Pu will not cause you to be deader than water if you breathe it!

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CAW@nrc.gov on 10/08/97 07:33:48 PM

Please respond to radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu


To:   radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
cc:    (bcc: Theodore S Bohn/BST/LMITCO/INEEL/US)
Subject:  Re: plutonium -Reply




Wes,
Considering the number of plutonium workers we have had over the last hal
century and the lack of any discernible adverse health effects leads me to
suspect
that plutonium is not in the front rank of the toxic materials.  Certainly
on a mg/kg
basis and looking at deterministic effects, a host of radionuclides are
more toxic
than plutonium.
Charlie Willis
caw@nrc.gov