World-wide Distribution of Iodine-131 in Animal Thyroids following Announcements of Isolated Nuclear Weapons Tests in North Africa

Journal Article · Sat Nov 26 04:00:00 EST 1960 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/188748a0· OSTI ID:4119436

VAN MIDDLESWORTH, L.

Preserved thyroid glands from cattle, sheep, and swine were analyzed for I¹³¹ content following the announcement of isolated nuclear weapons tests in the Sahara Desert. The gamma radioactivity was measured and corrected to the date of slaughter of the animals. The thyroid glands were received from Australia, China, England, Germany, Israel, Japan, Portugal, and from Tennessee and Washington in the United States. The results are given for mu mu c of I¹³¹ per gram of thyroid for slaughter dates from January to July 1960 showing the relation of the test dates to the I¹³¹ content in the glands. Finally, these investigations show that the monitoring of radioiodine in thyroid glands of grazing animals is a sensitive and informative method for evaluating the biological exposure of animal populations to fission products.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Tennessee, Memphis
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-15-007190
• OSTI ID: 4119436
• Journal Information: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 4752 Vol. 188; ISSN 0028-0836
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANIMALS
ATOMIC WEAPONS
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
FISSION PRODUCTS
GAMMA RADIATION
GLANDS
IODINE 131
MONITORING
THYROID