The US Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR): A Five-Decade Follow-Up Of Plutonium and Uranium Workers.

Dedication: The research of the US Transuranium and Uranium Registries relies heavily upon postmortem autopsy findings and radiochemical analysis of tissues. The enormous debt owed to those now-deceased registrants who unselfishly voluntarily participated in the US Transuranium and Uranium Registries program through postmortem donation of their tissues and to those still-living registrants who have volunteered to be future postmortem tissue donors is hereby acknowledged with gratitude. The scientific findings derived from postmortem analysis of these tissues have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the actinide elements in humans and have led to refinement, validation, and confidence in safety standards for those who work with these elements as well as for the general public.

USTUR Special Session Roundtable-US Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR): A Five-decade Follow-up of Plutonium and Uranium Workers.

The US Transuranium and Uranium Registries is a human tissue program that collects tissues posthumously from former nuclear workers and radiochemically analyzes them for actinides such as plutonium, americium, and uranium. It was established in 1968 with the goal of advancing science and improving the safety of future workers. Roundtable participants recalled various aspects of this multidisciplinary research program, from establishing consistent autopsy protocols to comparing the registries' findings to those of other programs, such as the historical beagle dog studies and the Russian Radiobiological Human Tissue Repository.

Estimation of Total Skeletal Content of Plutonium and 241Am From Analysis of a Single Bone.

The skeleton is one of the major retention sites for internally deposited actinides. Thus, an accurate estimation of the total skeleton content of these elements is important for biokinetic modeling and internal radiation dose assessment. Data from 18 whole-body donations to the US Transuranium and Uranium Registries with known plutonium intakes were used to develop a simple and reliable method for estimation of plutonium and Am activity in the total skeleton from single-bone analysis.

Natural Uranium Tissue Content of Three Caucasian Males.

Uranium content and concentrations were measured in the tissues of three Caucasian male whole body donors to the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries with no known intake other than from natural environmental sources.

Proposed standards for acute exposure to low enrichment uranium for compliance with 10 CFR 70.61.

Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations Part 70, puts forth requirements for licensure of special nuclear material including specific risk criteria for acute intakes based on biological effects. Standards for acute oral and inhalation intakes of soluble low enrichment are proposed for the three levels of biological effects given in the regulations. These levels were developed largely from available human data and have a large measure of conservatism.

Reconstruction of doses from occupationally related medical x-ray examinations.

Many nuclear weapons complex workers were required to undergo medical x-ray examinations as a condition of their employment. To ensure that their dose reconstructions are complete, it is necessary to include the contributions from these examinations. X-ray procedures that must be evaluated include: (1) posterior-anterior and lateral radiography, and/or photofluorography, of the chest; (2) anterior-posterior, lateral and oblique lumbar, cervical and thoracic radiography of the spine; and (3) radiography of the pelvis.

Radioactivity in fossils at the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument.

Since 1996, higher than background levels of naturally occurring radioactivity have been documented in both fossil and mineral deposits at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in south-central Idaho. Radioactive fossil sites occur primarily within an elevation zone of 900-1000 m above sea level and are most commonly found associated with ancient river channels filled with sand. Fossils found in clay rich deposits do not exhibit discernable levels of radioactivity.

The Health Physics Society: a 50-year chronology.

In 2005, the Health Physics Society celebrates its 50th anniversary. During its half century of existence, the Society has evolved from a small group of operationally oriented radiation protection scientists into an organization of several thousand with a recognized and respected peer reviewed journal. The bold decision to form an organization devoted to radiation safety in the United States spurred the formation of such societies in other countries and led to the formation of an international confederation of national societies, which has facilitated scientific communication and exchange worldwide.

The health physics society: a 50-year chronology.

In 2005, the Health Physics Society celebrates its 50th anniversary. During its half century of existence, the Society has evolved from a small group of operationally oriented radiation protection scientists into an organization of several thousand with a recognized and respected peer reviewed journal. The bold decision to form an organization devoted to radiation safety in the United States spurred the formation of such societies in other countries and led to the formation of an international confederation of national societies, which has facilitated scientific communication and exchange worldwide.

A review of contributions of human tissue studies to biokinetics, bioeffects and dosimetry of plutonium in man.

This paper briefly reviews the contributions made by human tissue studies to improved understanding of the biokinetics, dosimetry and potential bioeffects of plutonium in man. It includes consideration of tissue donations from both environmental and occupational populations, along with a brief history of human experience with plutonium and consideration of the bioethical aspects of post-mortem human tissue sampling.

Six-year follow-up of an acute 241Am inhalation intake.

A 38-y-old Caucasian male who suffered an acute accidental inhalation intake of 6.3 kBq of 241Am was monitored over 2,135 d using periodic in vivo measurements of the activity in the lungs, liver, and skeleton. Lung clearance was described by a two-compartment exponential model with half-times of 110 d and 10,000 d.