RADIATION FALLOUT AND ITS HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
At the University of Manitoba day-to-day variations of radioactivity in the air were recorded for over 1 year. It was found that heavy rain or snow greatly reduces the natural atmospheric radioactivities but affects the weapons test fallout concentration only slightly. The estimated orders of magnitude from fallout were: radon 100, thoron 1, and fallout 1 mu mu c/m/sup 3/. Observations in Winnipeg showed that in December 1958 the amount of fallout in air was rising due to the increased rate of deposition from the Russian and American tests in 1958. Thereafter the activity reached a flat maximum and in June 1959 a decrease was noted, Which continued until the end of August at an increasing rate, Later observations (December 1960) showed that the fallout in air corresponded to about 0.5 mu mu c/ma which is 1/8 the mean value for the beginning of 1959. Thus the amount of artificial activity in the air decreased considerably during 1959 and without further testing can be expected to fall even more. The public health aspects of fallout radionuclides, especially Sr/sup 90/ and Cs/sup 137/, are discussed in relation to their observed concentrations in the biosphere. Apart from a pronounced increase in the middle of 1959 due to the nuclear explosions in 1958, the Sr/sup 90/ content of Winnipeg milk showed a significant fall between the spring of 1958 and the fall of 1960. Figures for the nntional average closely parallel those of Winnipeg. It is suggested that the principal factor affecting Sr/sup 90/ concentration in milk may not be the total accumulation on the ground but rather the fallout of the preceding 2 months. Hence, the total accumulation is irrelevant and the bulk of the activity is not in but on vegetation. Comparisons were made of the relative doses to the populations of Grent Britain and Canada from Sr/sup 90/ as well as Cs/sup 137/ and of their possible leukemogenic actions. (P.C.H.)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Can.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-015619
- OSTI ID:
- 4755860
- Journal Information:
- Canadian Journal of Public Health (Canada), Journal Name: Canadian Journal of Public Health (Canada) Vol. Vol: 52; ISSN CJPEA
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CANADA
CARCINOGENESIS
CESIUM 137
CONTAMINATION
CONTROL
ENVIRONMENT
FALLOUT
FISSION PRODUCTS
ICE
LEUKEMIA
MAN
METEOROLOGY
MILK
PLANTS
POPULATIONS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DOSES
RADON
RADON 220
RAIN
SNOW
STRONTIUM 90
SURFACES
UNITED KINGDOM
VARIATIONS