Inhalation doses for aboriginal people reoccupying former nuclear weapons testing ranges in South Australia

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Health Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199212000-00003· OSTI ID:6833671

Johnston, P N; Lokan, K H; Williams, G A ^[1]

---

1. Australian Radiation Lab., Yallambie (Australia)

The Australian Government plans to rehabilitate the former nuclear weapons testing ranges at Maralinga and Emu in South Australia and to allow access to the areas for the Pitjantjatjara (Aboriginal) people who are the traditional owners of the land. The major radiological hazard posed by reoccupation of the ranges arises from inhalation of residual plutonium. The committed effective dose that these people might receive from inhalation on reoccupation of the lands is computed for a range of sites. The estimated doses for permanent occupancy range up to 300 mSv y-1 indicating the need for substantial rehabilitation before these areas are suitable for unrestricted access.

• OSTI ID: 6833671
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (United States), Vol. 63:6; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AUSTRALIA
LIFE STYLES
FALLOUT
RADIATION HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE DOSE
RADIATION DOSES
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
CONTAMINATION
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
INGESTION
INHALATION
MINORITY GROUPS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
AUSTRALASIA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DOSES
EXPLOSIONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INTAKE
POPULATIONS
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS
WEAPONS
560101* - Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies- Radiation Effects- Dosimetry & Monitoring- (1992-)
540230 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)