Resuspension studies at Bikini Atoll. [Pulmonary exposure from dust-borne plutonium aerosols]

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5617522

Shinn, J H; Homan, D N; Robison, W L

The following experiments were conducted on Bikini Atoll to provide key parameters for an assessment of inhalation exposure from plutonium-contaminated dust aerosols: (1) a characterization of background (plutonium activity, dust, plutonium, sea spray, and organic aerosol concentrations); (2) a study of plutonium resuspension from a bare field; (3) a study of plutonium resuspension by traffic; and (4) a study of personal inhalation exposure. Dust concentrations of 21 ..mu..g m/sup -3/ and sea spray of 34 ..mu..g m/sup -3/ were the background throughout the Bikini Island except within 50 m of the windward beach. Background concentrations of /sup 239 +240/Pu were 60 aCi m/sup -3/ in the coconut grove and 264 aCi m/sup -3/ over rain-stabilized bare soil. The ratio of plutonium activity in aerosols relative to the activity in underlying soil, defined as the enhancement factor, EF, was typically less than one. Enhancement factors increased about 3.8 as a result of tilling. Plutonium resuspension flux was estimated at 0.49 pCi m/sup -2/ year/sup -1/ over most of Bikini Island. Aerosol size distributions associated with mass and with plutonium activity were typically log-normal with median aerodynamic diameter 2.44 ..mu..m, which decreased to 2.0 ..mu..m above freshly tilled soil. The Pu concentration in aerosols collected over disturbed soil increased by a factor of 19.1. Vehicular traffic produced dust pulses typically of 10 s duration, 28 ..mu..g m/sup -3/ average concentration, and plutonium enhancement factor 2.5. Personal dosimetry showed that enhancement of dust by a worker was a factor of 2.64 for heavy work outdoors and 1.86 for light work in and around houses. Pulmonary deposition of plutonium was calculated for various exposure conditions. The pulmonary deposition ranged from 1476 aCi h/sup -1/ to 12 aCi h/sup -1/ with intermediate values for heavy outdoor work and for light work in and around houses.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5617522
• Report Number(s): UCID-18538; TRN: 80-005862
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
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RADIATION DOSES
PLUTONIUM 239
PARTICLE RESUSPENSION
PLUTONIUM 240
SOILS
RADIOACTIVITY
BIKINI
DEPOSITION
DUSTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INHALATION
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DISPERSIONS
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EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
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INTAKE
ISLANDS
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MARSHALL ISLANDS
MICRONESIA
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OCEANIA
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PRIMATES
RADIOISOTOPES
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