In vivo measurement of /sup 241/Am in an accidentally exposed subject

Conference · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5575964

Palmer, H E; Rieksts, G A; Icayan, E E

Detailed external measurements were made of internally deposited /sup 241/Am in a nuclear chemical operator involved in an americium exposure accident at the Hanford plant. Despite some interference from high-level external contamination, quantitative measurements of the /sup 241/Am content in the lung, liver, and bones were made starting on the third day after the accident. The rate of excretion of /sup 241/Am from these organs was determined. The /sup 241/Am embedded in the skin of the face and head was carefully mapped. The distribution over the total length of the body was also determined. Linear and rectilinear scanners, gamma cameras, large and small scintillation detectors, proportional counters, and Si(Li) and intrinsic germanium detectors were used to evaluate the internal deposition. Methods of calibration for quantitative measurement included simulation of the /sup 241/Am activity in both phantom and cadaver parts.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA); Hanford Environmental Health Foundation, Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5575964
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-7471; CONF-8110126-1; ON: DE82004319
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
BODY
CONTAMINATION
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
GLANDS
HAPO
HEAVY NUCLEI
IN VIVO
INFORMATION
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPES
LIVER
LUNGS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PERSONNEL MONITORING
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOISOTOPES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SKELETON
SKIN
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES