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USTUR 0041: Rocky Flats — 239Pu — Minimal Intake
Intake
This registrant worked at the Rocky Flats Plant for about 15 y. The exposure records document two wound incidents.
1957: The registrant received a small abrasion on his right fourth finger while scrubbing an air duct in a building where plutonium was used. No contamination at the wound site was noted. A count of the wound detected no activity above background.
1963: The registrant received a wound with multiple superficial abrasions on his left hand. No contamination at the wound site was noted.
Health Physics
Seven gross alpha, one uranium, and two 239Pu urinalyses were performed. All results were below the limit of detection.
One in-vivo chest and one liver count were performed in 1970. A wound count was performed following both of the wound incidents. All results were at background.
The Registrant’s total external (penetrating) radiation dose was 0.273 rem.
Autopsy and Pathology
The Registrant died at age 49 y from metastatic malignant melanoma.
Portions of the right and left lung, trachea-bronchial lymph nodes, liver, kidneys, spleen, heart, thyroid, rib, sternum, and vertebrae were taken at autopsy.
Contemporary Dose Estimates
The last plutonium body burden estimates made by SITE personnel are as follows:
| % of Maximum Permissible Burden |
Maximum Permissible Burden |
Calculated Estimate of Burden |
|
| Systemic Burden | background | 40 nCi | - |
| Lung Burden | background | 16 nCi | - |
To use USTUR narrative data, please cite:
USTUR 0041: Rocky Flats — 239Pu — Minimal Intake: Narrative. United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries. November 3, 2009. Washington State University: College of Pharmacy. Accessed 23 November 2009. Available at: http://www.ustur.wsu.edu/Case_Studies/Narratives/0041_Narrative.php.
This page was last updated on November 3, 2009. usturwebmaster@tricity.wsu.edu