Cesium-137 from the environment to man: metabolism and dose

Book · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7287771

Data on /sup 137/Cs present in world-wide fallout are reviewed with reference to movement in the environment and food chains and its entry into humans. Seasonal fluctuations in deposition and in dietary levels, effects of soil type on the levels in vegetation, the early relations of these levels to deposition, and the later emergence of evidence of root uptake by plants and the time lag between deposition and dietary levels have been noted. Particular environments and ecosystems showing levels higher than usual have been indicated. In particular, estimates of /sup 137/Cs in the pasture-cow-milk-man food chain appear to be reasonable. Several recent predictive studies now make it easier to follow a monitoring program and detect early changes that might indicate differences between various models of particular environmental circumstances. Dosimetric data obtained from studies of fallout and from laboratory experiments indicate that the elimination half-times for infants and children are significantly shorter than for normal adults. The same is true for the pregnant female, on the average, and for individuals subject to certain muscle wasting diseases. Also, the fraction of photon energy escaping from the body is somewhat larger for infants and children due to their smaller body sizes. Thus, the assumptions concerning the dose that would follow local deposition on pasture appear to be reasonable for the average adult. However, one would expect somewhat lower doses (on the average) for infants, pregnant women, and muscular dystrophy patients. The maximum permissible levels for concentrations of /sup 137/Cs in air and water for occupational exposure do not differ significantly from previously recommended levels. A small number of studies of effects of /sup 137/Cs on animals suggests that the whole body of the animal is substantially irradiated, and the results of these studies are in general agreement with other studies of effects of low-LET radiation.

• Research Organization: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 7287771
• Report Number(s): NCRP-52
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE DEPENDENCE
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DIET
DOSES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
FOOD CHAINS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INTERNAL IRRADIATION
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
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NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
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PRIMATES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOISOTOPES
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES