ACCUMULATION OF RADIOISOTOPES FROM FALLOUT BY TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS AT HANFORD, WASHINGTON

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1960 · Northwest Science (U.S.)

OSTI ID:4127788

Hanson, W C

Observations are reported of the bioaccumulation of airborne radioactive contamination from nuclear weapons tests and Hanford plutonium separations facilities in animals from natural populations on the Hanford reservation. Most information was obtained from jack rabbits collected at 15 stations established throughout the Hanford reservation. A seasonal pattern of I/sup 131/ concentrations similar to that previously reported occurred at all collection stations and closely paralleled the inert iodine content of thyroid tissue. Radioactive debris from distant nuclear weapons tests resulted in a tenfold increase in I/sup 131/ concentrations in thyroid glands of rabbits, with little station-to-station variance. Thyroid glands of full-term fetuses of rabbits consistently contained greater I/sup 131/ concentrations than thyroids from parent animals. Values after birth decreased with increasing age until two months, at which time levels comparable to adult animals were maintained. Concentrations of mixed fission products in bone, liver, muscle, and feces samples of rabbits maintined relative stability during the 19-month study. No sustained upward trend was noted. Eight days after a "rainout" of bomb test debris, concentrations of fission products in feces showed an immediate tenfold increase. Concentrations in liver and bone samples increased, but at a much slower rate than in feces samples. Thirty-eight days after the "rainout," the fission product concentrations in both liver and feces decreased to near "prerainout" levels, but concentrations in bone continued to increase for an additional 30 days. Young rabbits consistently contained greater concentrations of fission products than adult animals. Greatest concentrations of radioisotopes other than I/sup 131/ appeared immediately following birth, with values decreasing slightly as the rabbits grew to maturity. Greatest I/sup 131/ concentrations appeared in thyroids of full-term fetuses of rabbits, and decreased to maturity. Fission product concentrations in respective tissues of all kinds of animals sampled were essentially equal, irrespective of distance from Hanford process stacks. Fission product isotopes that were collected eight days after a "rainout" included Sr/sup 90/, Zr/sup 95/-Nb/sup 95/, Mo/sup 99/ , Ru/sup 106/ 1>s/sup 41/, Ce/sup 144/ and Cs/sup 137/. Sixty per cent of the total radiostrontium concentration of the bone was Sr/sup 90/, the remainder being Sr/sup 89/. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Richland, Wash.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-000050
• OSTI ID: 4127788
• Journal Information: Northwest Science (U.S.), Vol. Vol: 34; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
AIR
ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS
BARIUM 140
BONES
CERIUM 141
CESIUM 137
CONTAMINATION
FALLOUT
FETUSES
FISSION PRODUCTS
GLANDS
IODINE 131
LIFETIME
LIVER
MOLYBDENUM 99
MUSCLES
NIOBIUM 95
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PLUTONIUM
RABBITS
RADIOISOTOPES
RUTHENIUM 103
RUTHENIUM 106
STRONTIUM 90
TISSUES
ZIRCONIUM 95