Evaluation of health effects in Sequoyah Fuels Corporation workers from accidental exposure to uranium hexafluoride

Technical Report · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6945131· OSTI ID:6945131

Fisher, D R ^[1]; Swint, M J; Kathren, R L ^[2]

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1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
2. Hanford Environmental Health Foundation, Richland, WA (USA)

Urine bioassay measurements for uranium and medical laboratory results were studied to determine whether there were any health effects from uranium intake among a group of 31 workers exposed to uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) and hydrolysis products following the accidental rupture of a 14-ton shipping cylinder in early 1986 at the Sequoyah Fuels Corporation uranium conversion facility in Gore, Oklahoma. Physiological indicators studied to detect kidney tissue damage included tests for urinary protein, casts and cells, blood, specific gravity, and urine pH, blood urea nitrogen, and blood creatinine. We concluded after reviewing two years of follow-up medical data that none of the 31 workers sustained any observable health effects from exposure to uranium. The early excretion of uranium in urine showed more rapid systemic uptake of uranium from the lung than is assumed using the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 30 and Publication 54 models. The urinary excretion data from these workers were used to develop an improved systemic recycling model for inhaled soluble uranium. We estimated initial intakes, clearance rates, kidney burdens, and resulting radiation doses to lungs, kidneys, and bone surfaces. 38 refs., 10 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Div. of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety; Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USNRC
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6945131
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-5566; PNL-7328; ON: TI90011966; TRN: 90-019316
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
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BLOOD
BIOASSAY
HEALTH HAZARDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
PERSONNEL
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
SEQUOYAH UF6 PRODUCTION PLANT
ACCIDENTS
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
URINE
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CREATININE
INTAKE
KIDNEYS
LUNGS
PH VALUE
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RADIATION DOSES
UREA
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AMIDES
ANIMAL TISSUES
AZOLES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
DOSES
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HAZARDS
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IMIDAZOLES
IMINES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
TISSUES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
560161* - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Man
054000 - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety