Document Details
PURL
(81 K)
Title:
LETTER TO W H LANGHAM, SUBJECT: CHALK RIVER NOTES ( REDACTED )
Author(s):
SHIELDS, [NEW ENGLAND DEACONESS HOSPITAL- CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE]
Subject Terms:
HREX; HISTORY - GENERAL; PLUTONIUM
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
CORRESPONDENCE, LETTERS, MEMOS
Publication Date:
1971 May 06
Declassification Status:
Never classified
Document Pages:
0002
Accession Number:
NV0709729
OpenNet Entry Date:
1995 Feb 17
OpenNet Modified Date:
2017 Dec 21
Description/Abstract:
DR. WARREN DISCUSSES THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLUTONIUM TOLERANCE LIMITS AND REVIEWS CHALK RIVER CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS. WARREN RECALLS THAT AT THE CHALK RIVER CONFERENCE IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE MINIMAL DAMAGING DOSE FOR PLUTONIUM-239 WAS 1 MICROGRAM AND THAT THE SAFE AMOUNT FOR CONTINUOUS PRESENCE WAS 0.1 MICROGRAM, WHICH LANGHAM SHOWED WAS NOT OPERATIONALLY FEASIBLE. THIS STIMULATED BRUES TO REEXAMINE THE EXCRETION DATA. ON THE BASIS OF THE HIGHER EXCRETION RATE IN MAN (COMPARED TO ANIMALS), IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE TOLERANCE LIMIT FOR PLUTONIUM WOULD BE 0.5 MICROGRAMS.