Radioactivity in Northern Alaskan Eskimos and Their Foods, Summer 1962
| Autor: | W. C. Hanson, H.E. Palmer, B.I. Griffin |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1964 |
| Předmět: |
Radioactive Fallout
Meat Epidemiology Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Native population Food Contamination Urine Radiation Protection Cesium Isotopes Humans Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Radiometry Food Contamination Radioactive Radionuclide Chemistry Radioactive fallout Mean value Radiochemistry Fishes Nutrition Surveys Radioactivity Inuit Isotopes of zinc Zinc Isotopes Composition (visual arts) Zirconium Alaska |
| Zdroj: | Health Physics. 10:421-429 |
| ISSN: | 0017-9078 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/00004032-196406000-00006 |
| Popis: | Badionuclide concentrations in the human inhabitants of northwestern Alaska were studied during the summer of 1962. A portable whole-body counter was used to examine 703 Eskimos and 78 non-native residents at four sites selected on the basis of location within the state, composition of the native population, and sources of native foods. Cesium-137 was the most important and often the only gamma-emitting fallout radionuclide detected in the subjects examined. Results of whole-body counting and dietary information obtained showed a clear relation between the amount of caribou and/or reindeer consumed and the /sup 137/Cs body burden. Moose likewise was determined to be an important vector of /sup 137/Cs among native human populations. The /sup 137/Cs body burdens of the Eskimos examined were well within current recommended limits (NCRP 1959). Other fallout radionuclides detected during the study were /sup 65/Zn and /sup 95/Zr-- /sup 95/ Nb, the /sup 65/Zn being observed in individ uals who had consumed appreciable quantities of oysters. (H.M.G.) 2O232 The fallout levels of fission products such as /sup 90/Sr, /sup 137/Cs, Zr, /sup 95/Nb, /sup 103/Ru, and /sup 106/Ru, in excreth and diet were measured. In connection with /sup 137/Cs and /sup 90/Sr, the amounts of stable Kmore » and Ca in the same specimens were also analyzed. The volume and weight of the samples were examined to get the mean value and the range. The experiment started in May 1982 and ended in February 1963. During the period, seven samplings were made. In each sampling, excreta were collected over five consecutive days from five normal subjects, who, except one, received the same diet. An exact duplicate of the diet was analyzed at the same time. A large NaI(Tl) crystal scirtillator and a 100-channel pulseheight analyzer were used to determine the radioactivities of gamma emitters in ashed samples, while /sup 90/Sr and /sup 137/Cs were analyzed radiochemically. In general, the content of /sup 95/Nb in the diet was highest among all the radionuclides, reaching about 60 mu mu C/day/person in February 1963. In urine samples, detectable amounts of /sup 95/Zr, /sup 95/Nb, /sup 103/Ru and /sup 106/ Ru were not found, in contrast with the considerable amounts in feces. The level of /sup 90/Sr in the diet varied between 7.0 and 13 mu mu C/day/person during the period, and that of /sup 137/Cs, between 13 and 35 mu mu C/day/person. However, in 24-hr urine samples, about 1 mu mu C of /sup 90/Sr was always found irrespective of the contents in the diet. The activities of /sup 137/Cs in the same urine specimens, however, changed between 10 and 31 mu mu C corresponding to the contents in the diet. The levels of /sup 90/Sr, /sup 137/Cs, and /sup 95/Zr + /sup 95/Nb involved in th e diet varied during the period according to the changes of the dry fallout levels in the atmosphere. The average daily volume of urine for individuals was 950 to 1300 ml. (auth)« less |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|