Health-hazard evaluation report HETA-86-381-1934, Nuclear Fuel Services, Erwin, Tennessee
In response to a request from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a study was made of excessive kidney disease at Nuclear Fuel Services, Erwin, Tennessee. This facility was the sole producer of nuclear fuel rods for the United States Navy. The major operations involved the production of highly enriched uranium fuel for naval nuclear reactors and the recovery from scrap of low enriched uranium for commercial light water reactors. Highly enriched uranium-hexafluoride was converted to oxides and ultimately into finished nuclear fuel. A medical questionnaire revealed more frequent kidney stones (19%) and urinary tract infections (28%) among the workers than among the guards used as a comparison group, 7 and 12%, respectively. Dairy farmers from a nearby town used as an additional comparison group reported kidney stones more frequently (26 versus 21%) and infections less frequently (20 versus 30%) than the current and former senior workers at the nuclear facility. Kidney function was similar in both groups. Workers in both groups had frequent risk factors for kidney stones, particularly high calcium, oxalate, sodium, uric-acid, phosphorus and low urinary volume on testing. The authors conclude that the urinary tract disorders in the nuclear workers were not the result of occupational hazards at this site.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5532801
- Report Number(s):
- PB-89-164735/XAB; HETA-86-381-1934; TRN: 89-029031
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
UROGENITAL SYSTEM DISEASES
FUEL RODS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
THORIUM
TOXICITY
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
HAZARDS
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
552000 - Public Health