BASIC ASSUMPTIONS FOR USE IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RADIOLOGICAL HAZARD TO FOOD FROM FALLOUT

Technical Report · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4647111

The physical properties of fallout materials are reviewed from the standpoint of the contamination of growing crops to air- or ground-burst megaton bombs. It is pointed out that the most important isotopes from the point of view of food contamination are I/sup 131/, Sr/sup 89/, Sr/sup 90/, and Cs/sup 137/. Al l of these are formed from gaseous precursors that have not condensed when the heavy partiules start to fall from an atomic cloud. They are therefore not found in abundance in mixed fission products in the heavily contaminated areas within 100 miles of ground zero. In the area of heavy faliout from ground-burst explosions, the size of the particles is such that they are not readily soluble and so their biological availability is low. The radioactivity of fallout is proportional to the volume or mass of the particle and the possibility of uptake by plants is decreased in proportion to particle size. The possibility of overlapping plumes of fallout from widely separated bombs is considered. Data are presented on the relation between the amount of isotope and dose rate for I/ sup 131/, Sr/sup 89/, Sr/sup 90/, and Cs/sup 137/. Typical val ues and dose rates are given for an idealized 1--MT ground burst fallout pattern at various distances from ground zero. (C.H.)

• Research Organization: Gt. Brit. Home Office, London
• NSA Number: NSA-17-040517
• OSTI ID: 4647111
• Report Number(s): SA/PR-40(Rev.)
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AIR
BIOLOGY
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CEREALS
CESIUM 137
CONFIGURATION
CONTAMINATION
DISTANCE
DUSTS
ENVIRONMENT
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
FISSION PRODUCTS
FOOD
GASES
IODINE 131
MASS
METABOLISM
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PARTICLES
PLANTS
POWER
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVITY
SOILS
SOLUBILITY
STANDARDS
STRONTIUM 89
STRONTIUM 90
VARIATIONS
VOLUME