Re[2]: Kosov DU - New Scientist Report

[col_eric_daxon@MEDCOM2.SMTPLINK.AMEDD.ARMY.MIL]

     This is a excellent argument.  The New Scientist web page is 
     www.newscientist.com.  I encourage you all to register your objections 
     with the editors of the document.
     
     Eric G. Daxon, PhD, CHP
     Daxfam@aol.com
     (210) 221-6612


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Kosov DU  - New Scientist Report 
Author:  <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu > at internet-mail
Date:    6/7/99 1:52 PM


Bob said:
     
<Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. How much natural uranium on the average is there 
in the top three feet of a square mile of earth?>
     
     
One thing's for sure, Bob, 290 tonnes is a lot more DU than 290 tons, or, maybe 
it isn't.  According to Basic Radiation Protection Technology by Dr. Dan 
Gollnick (3rd ed.9/95, ISBN 0-916339-07-6), an average square mile in the U.S. 
to a depth of one foot would contain three tons of 238-U.  Don't know where Dr. 
Gollnick acquired that data, but that would be about 3.02 tons (or 2.75 tonnes) 
nat-U considering natural isotopic abundances.  Assuming uniform activity in 
soil to three feet and the average in the U.S. being representative of the 
average over the earth, the answer to your question is 9.06 tons of nat-U in a 
square mile three feet deep.   Now if that all went airborne (and who knows what
might happen these days) and was inhaled by Reference Man...with Keith's data of
3.3 E-05 Sv/Bq and 0.0254 Bq/ugm...we're talking 2.7 E+08 Sv.  Over a population
of 10,000, still 2.7 E+04 Sv per person.  So, maybe it is!  But I think inhaling
all that dirt would get ya first....
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
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