THE HEALTH HAZARDS OF RADIOACTIVATED MATERIALS IN NUCLEAR POWERED SEAPLANES. Final Report

Technical Report · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1960

OSTI ID:4005432

Taylor, J W; Reeves, E; Fessenden, E I

The general health hazards of a nuclear powered aircraft are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the problem of ingesting particulate material. Dust samples were collected from operational P5M seaplanes and results extrapolated to an assumed nuclear aircraft. The dusts were studied using microscopy to determine gross particulate nature, x-ray diffraction to determine molecular constituents and particle size below one micron, and activation analysis to determine individual nuclides that become radioactive under neutron bombardment. These results indicate that no special problem exists in connection with the occupied areas of a seaplane. Sodium was not found to be a major constituent and little additional hazard results from operation in a salt water environments. (auth)

• Research Organization: Naval Air Development Center, Aviation Medical Acceleration Lab., Johnsville, Penna.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-026395
• OSTI ID: 4005432
• Report Number(s): NADC-MA-6039
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
AIRCRAFT
CONFIGURATION
DIFFRACTION
DUSTS
ENVIRONMENT
FISSION PRODUCTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
INGESTION
LATTICES
MICROSCOPY
NEUTRONS
OPERATION
PARTICLES
PERFORMANCE
PROPULSION
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SAMPLING
SEA
SODIUM
STOMACH
X RADIATION