STATUS OF RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT IN IOWA

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · J. Iowa State Med. Soc.

OSTI ID:4078594

Zimmerer, E G

Sampling stations for air, the border rivers, and milk, as part of a national network, are located in Iowa. A station for sampling the radioactivity in the atmosphere is located at Iowa City, and is operated on a 7-day week basis by the State Hygienlc Lab. In addition to the national networks, a program of monitoring is conducted by the State Hygienic Lab. as a state program. The data collected in the monitoring programs in Iowa indicate that, to date, the levels of radioactivity have not reached significant concentrations. The data also indicate that transient increases of radioactivity have been produced by weaponstesting activities, but that these concentrations return to a low range within a matter of days. Des Moines milk samples were routinely analyzed for Sr/ sup 90/, Sr/sup 89/, I/sup 131/, and Ca. In addition, the State Hygienic Lab. made similar determinations on other Iowa milk supplies. In considering these isotopes, the Federal Radiation Council has assigned concentration values in mu mu C/day. Values differ for these isotopes. To date, the Sr concentrations have been low. Levels were established for I/sup 131/ on the basis of the potential effect on the thyroid glands of young children. If applied to adults, these ranges are subject to upward revision. Soon after the U. S. testing program was suspended, the I/sup 131/ levels fell to the nondetectable range. This determination was discontinued until the Russian testing program in 1981. The average I/sup 131/ levels in the Des Moines milk supply were (as mu mu C/l): 210 October, 210 November, and 30 June 1961; and 10 January to April and 90 May 1962. Fallout from the Russian tests was not appreciable in Iowa until the period of September 19 to 22, 1961, when Hurricane Carla recirculated fallout through the midwest. (BBB)

• Research Organization: Dept. of Health, Des Moines, Iowa
• NSA Number: NSA-18-014138
• OSTI ID: 4078594
• Journal Information: J. Iowa State Med. Soc., Journal Name: J. Iowa State Med. Soc. Vol. Vol: 52
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE
AIR
ATMOSPHERE
CALCIUM
FALLOUT
GLANDS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
HYDROLOGY
IODINE 131
IOWA
LEVELS
MAN
MEASURED VALUES
MILK
MONITORING
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOACTIVITY
RIVERS
SAMPLING
STRONTIUM 89
STRONTIUM 90
THYROID
TRANSIENTS
WATER
WIND