IODINE$sup 131$ FALLOUT MEASUREMENTS IN SHEEP AND CATTLE THYROIDS IN EGYPT, U.A.R., DURING THE PERIOD MAY 1956-JUNE 1957

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1961 · Journal of the Egyptian Medical Association (Egypt)

OSTI ID:4816953

Halawani, A; Tamami, M Y

Most of the animal thyroid glands examined by scillintometry after May 1956 showed detectable activity due to I/sup 131/, presumably originating from fall-out from nuclear weapons tests. The average content of thyroid I/sup 131/ varied from 2.2 mu mu c/g in May 1956 to 973 in May 1957, and the concentration rose progressively during this period. The highest value found was 2690 mu mu c/g thyroid. Peak activities were observed in October 1956 and January and May 1957. The values were higher in cattle and sheep than in buffalo, which may be explained by the fact that the first 2 species were maintained on fodder or by grazing and the latter by feeding cottonseed cake, which is less likely to be contaminated by fall-out. In cattle less than 1 year old, the thyroid activity was about twice that of aduit cows, whereas in suckling buffalo (less than 40 days old) it was 15 times higher than in aduIt buffalo. Cow's milk also showed significant radiocontamination during this period. Total radioactivity values as detected by a scintillation counter with reference to an I/sup 131/ standard, varied up to 35.2 mu c/l, with an average of 7.27. The decay pattern in milk suggested the presence of a mixture of radioisotopes. (H.H.D.)

• Research Organization: Inst. Research Trop. Med., Cairo
• NSA Number: NSA-16-020125
• OSTI ID: 4816953
• Journal Information: Journal of the Egyptian Medical Association (Egypt), Journal Name: Journal of the Egyptian Medical Association (Egypt) Vol. Vol: 44; ISSN JEMAA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE
ANIMALS
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CATTLE
CONTAMINATION
DECAY
FALLOUT
FOOD
IODINE 131
MEASURED VALUES
MILK
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
QUANTITY RATIO
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SHEEP
THYROID
UAR