UPTAKE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS FROM A NUCLEAR REACTOR BY SMALL MAMMALS AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE

Technical Report · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4771702

Turner, F B; Hayden, P; Olaison, J H; Larson, K H

Because testing was suspended in October of 1958, it is assumed that there was no detectable thyroid radioiodine in mammals living on Jackass Flats, Nevada Test Site, in February, 1959, prior to the testing of a nuclear reactor designed to serve as a space rocket engine. This assumption is supported by the fact that after the reactor test on July 1, 1959, rabbits collected outside of the fall-out pattern showed no thyroid activity. However, slight thyroid activity (1.7 m mu c/gm in rabbits 0.20 to 3.25 m mu c/gm in rodents) was detected within the fa1l-out pattern, to a distance of about 6 miles from the test site. This increment was attributable to the reactor test. Total beta activity of rodent skins increased 10-fold following the test, rabbit skins about 2.5 times. Rabbit gastrointestinal contents displayed a 15-fold increase in beta activity after the test, that of rodents increased 3.5 times. These increases were also attributable to the test. It is concluded that radioactive particles ingested from the fur contributed a large part of the thyroid radioiodine in kangaroo rats. On the other hand, thyroid radioiodine in jack rabbits was derived largely from contaminated vegetation. Bone beta radioactivity was increased significantly in both rabbits and rodents because of the reactor test. Muscle radioactivity was increased significantly in rodents but not in rabbits. The radioactivity of kidneys, lungs, and livers showed no significant changes from February to July. This particular reactor test had no detectable deleterious influence on mammals living within the area investigated. (auth)

• Research Organization: California Univ., Los Angeles. School of Medicine. Lab. of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology
• NSA Number: NSA-16-032693
• OSTI ID: 4771702
• Report Number(s): TID-16835
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANIMALS
BETA PARTICLES
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BONES
CONTAMINATION
DETECTION
ENVIRONMENT
FALLOUT
FOOD
INTESTINE
IODINE ISOTOPES
KANGAROO RATS
KIDNEYS
LIVER
LUNGS
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
MUSCLES
NEVADA
PLANTS
RABBITS
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
ROCKETS
RODENTS
SKIN
STOMACH
TESTING
THYROID
VARIATIONS