u
N
                 M
N
                                                            SWRHL02r
    SOUTHWESTERN RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH LABORATORY
                   PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

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      COPY OOl
Copy No.  1
Issued to

   O. R. Placak, QIC
   SWRHL, Las Vegas, Nevada

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                                              SWRHL-2r
    IODINE  INHALATION STUDY
                    FOR
              PROJECT  SEDAN
                 July  6,  1962
                     by
 Southwestern Radiological Health Laboratory
         U. S.  Public Health Service

                     for
          Nevada Operations Office
         Atomic Energy Commission
               Project Director
           Morgan S.  Seal, USPHS

               Deputy Director
          E. L. Fountain, USA, VC
                May 20,  1964
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
            Public Health Service

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                         AUTHOR'S NOTE
The  subject matter of this report was presented under the title "Iodine
Uptake by Dogs Exposed to Nuclear Cratering Cloud" at the Seventh An-
nual Western Industrial Health Conference in San Francisco, California
on September  27, 1963  and under the title "Iodine Uptake From a Single
Inhaled Exposure" at the Symposium  on the Biology of Radioiodine at the
Hanford Laboratories in Richland, Washington on June 17, 1963,

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                           ABSTRACT
Beagle  dogs and currently accepted physical  air  sampling equipment
were exposed to the cloud produced by a nuclear cratering experiment
to determine the deposition of radioactive iodine in organs  of the biolog-
ical  sampler with that collected by the physical sampling devices.  Pri-
mary emphasis is directed to the evaluation of such factors as isotopic
ratios,  rate of build-up,  and the  effect of the thyroid gland in  concen-
trating iodine. The results, -which indicated the selectivity of the bio-
logical sampler and the inefficiency of the physical samplers, are dis-
cussed.

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                      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The staff of the Southwestern Radiological Health Laboratory is indebted
to several organizations for financial, logistical,  and personnel support.

The U.S. Army, Veterinary Corps,  supplied both personnel and equip-
ment without -which this project would have  been  impossible.  Valuable
personnel, equipment, and facilities support was  also received from the
University of Rochester,  from  Reynolds  Electrical  and Engineering
Company,  from the Southeastern Radiological Health Laboratory,  and
from other units of the Public Health Service.  The U.S.  Marine Corps
supplied the helicopters and crews, without -which the rapid retrieval of
samples would have been impossible.

The support provided by these organizations and  the helpful cooperation
of the personnel assigned to this Study are gratefully acknowledged.

The Atomic Energy Commission, Nevada Operations Office, is due par-
ticular  acknowledgment  for making  available the funds with which this
Study was accomplished.
                                 11

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                      TABLE  OF  CONTENTS


ABSTRACT                                                      i

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS                                          ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS                                         iii

LIST OF TABLES                                               iv

LIST OF FIGURES                                              iv

Chapter  1.    INTRODUCTION                                   1

Chapter  2.    OPERATIONAL PLAN AND FIELD
              METHODOLOGY                                   3

         2. 1.  Physical Sampling                  6
         2. 2.  Biological Sampling                 8

         2.3.  Dosimetry                         11

Chapter  3.    LABORATORY METHODOLOGY                   13

         3. 1.  Processing of Samples             13

         3. 2.  Radioassay of Samples             14

         3.3.  In Vivo Analysis                   20
Chapter  4.    RESULTS                                         23

Chapter  5.    CONCLUSIONS                                    31

APPENDIX                                             Ap-1 thru
                                                            Ap-10

DISTRIBUTION LIST
                                111

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                         LIST OF TABLES


Table No.                                                       Page

 Table 1.   List of radioisotope  standards.                          14

 Table 2.   Efficiencies of the 4" x 4" solid crystal of System 1
           and the 9" x 8" well  crystal of System  2 for counting
           radioisotope standards.                                 16

 Table 3.   Qualitative analysis  of the body burden of gamma
           emitters in a dog sacrificed 24 hours after inhalation
           exposure.                                              22

 Table 4.   Data from biological samplers,  including iodine in
           dog thyroids analyzed in vitro.                          24

 Table 5.   Iodine collected by low volume air samplers.            25
                        LIST OF FIGURES
Figure No.                                                     Pag(

 Figure 1.  Map of the downwind area showing location of
            sampling teams.                                        4

 Figure 2.  _In vivo spectra of the thyroid of one dog from the
            31-mile station.                                       28

 Figure 3.  In vivo spectra of the thyroid of one dog from the
            42-mile station.                                       29

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                             Chapter 1





                          INTRODUCTION







Many studies both past and current have yielded reasonably reliable es-





timates of the parameters concerning transfer of iodine-131 through the




food chain to the human thyroid.  However,  relatively little  is  known





about the  means by -which radioiodine produced by nuclear testing passes





through the  biosphere  to the food of cow and man, about its  importance




as an inhalation hazard,  or about the relationship between its  measure-





ment in environmental samples or dose rate surveys  to the radiation




dose produced in man's thyroid.  Project Sedan of the Plowshare Pro-





gram provided a fission  product source enabling some of these factors





to be studied.







The  U.  S. Public Health Service,  at the request of the Nevada Test Or-




ganization, Atomic Energy Commission, and with their financial support,





designed and conducted a program to measure the inhalable fraction of





iodine released to the  close off-site  area by the Sedan  event. The nuclear




device employed for the  event was developed by  the Lawrence Radiation





Laboratory,  Livermore,  California.  The device had a design yield of





one hundred kilotons  plus or  minus  ten per  cent, and was buried at a





depth of 635 feet in alluvium in Yucca Flat, Nevada.
                                 -1-

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It  was expected  that this iodine inhalation study would provide at least





qualitative and hopefully  some  quantitative information  concerning the





effectiveness of  a. biological-physical  field study in answering some of





the urgent questions concerning health hazards of iodine,  and would per-





haps aid in  a preliminary empirical evaluation of the relationship be-





tween external and  internal beta-gamma doses which could  result from





tests producing a gaseous or  near-gaseous nuclear  cloud.  It was under-





stood that  the information obtained would be unique, applying only to the





conditions of the Sedan event.  This unique character of the data became





more evident when  samples were received, as the expected energy spec-





trum of fission products was contaminated with large amounts of a gam-





ma emitter  (W187)  associated with the  construction of the device.  This





contaminant masked many of the isotopes of interest in gamma spectro-





metric analysis  of  the samples.








A very short lead time allowed only limited calibration and  field testing





of many of the methods,  equipment, and facilities  being used  in an ex-





perimental application for the first time.   It was realized that this limi-





tation, combined with that provided by the nature of the device, might





 render  some  of the data scientifically invalid.  Nevertheless,  since





valuable experience  and practical  information were derived  from the





 sampling  and  analytical procedures  attempted,  they  are   described





whether or not they yielded scientific data in  usable form.
                                   -2-

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                              Chapter 2




         OPERATIONAL, PLAN AND FIELD METHODOLOGY










One of the most persistent difficulties encountered in field experiments




is that of effective sampler placement.   The concept of manned mobile





sampling stations was therefore employed to reduce the probability  of




missing  the radioactive cloud without increasing the number of samplers




required to obtain the desired information.







Samplers were concentrated in three mobile units  carried in vehicles




equipped with  two-way radio.  Each unit included  two 2-wheel drive,




four-speed transmission,  air-conditioned panel trucks for transporting




beagle dogs, and one 4-wheel drive truck carrying generators and phys-




ical sampling equipment.  Each unit was manned by  a team consisting




of six members, two of •which-were responsible for biological sampling,




two for  physical sampling, one for continuous  monitoring, and one  to




act as team historian.  A supply team carrying fuel, water; and back-up





equipment and supplies supported the  three sampling units.







Placement of the sampling teams was directed by radio from the Nevada





Test Site (NTS) Control Point. Standby positions were selected prior





to the  test  day (D) to allow coverage of either of two parallel valleys
                                 -3-

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                                                                      N
                                                    .TEAM  3
                                                    VT3UEEN CITY SUMMIT
   LEGEND

fy SAMPLING TEAM LOCATION
• COMMUNITY
Q ABANDONED BUILDING
• OCCUPIED BUILDING
^ CORRAL
> RESERVOIR
D-« ATTENDED BARRICADE
>-* UNATTENDED  BARRICADE
•• PAVED  ROAD
— UNPAVED  ROAD
         OR PASS
APPROXIMATE  MILAGE BETWEEN
LANDMARKS  IS  INDICATED  BY
NUMBERS WRITTEN ALONG ROAD
  Figure 1.  Map of the downwind area showing location of sampling teams.

                                      -4-

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within the predicted cloud trajectory.  Road surveys and  checks for




radio contact were made prior to D-day in  the area shown in Figure 1,





and  alternate sampling  station approaches  and escape  routes were es-





tablished.   A complete  dry run of the field  operation on D-3 showed




that only minor modifications of the plan were necessary.







Approximately 4 hours  before detonation (H-4) the sampling and supply




teams were dispatched  to the pre-arranged  standby positions.  Since





35 minutes  were required to place and set  up a sampling station, just





before detonation the team closest to ground zero (GZ) was directed by




radio to set up at a position  selected on the basis  of U. S.  Weather





Bureau information.  The  remaining teams were  positioned on the




basis of information received from aerial cloud tracking and ground




monitoring  teams, as well as on the visual observations reported by the




first sampling unit.   The final sampling positions at approximately 14,




31, and 42 miles from ground  zero are shown in Figure 1.







Sampling equipment  was  activated upon cloud arrival and was turned off





when the cloud had passed,or as soon thereafter as possible.  This min-




imized dilution with uncontaminated air,  desorption of collected mater-




ial,  and contamination with resuspended  material.  Samples were pack-





aged in the field and were picked up by  helicopters summoned  by  each




team as  it  began its shut-down  operation. This allowed earlier and





perhaps more significant analyses  of short half-lived  isotopes than





would have  been possible by the usual recovery methods.  Two members
                                 -5-

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of each team accompanied the samples in the helicopter, while the four





remaining members  returned the sampling gear to headquarters in the





three vehicles.








A  facility for processing and analyzing samples was  set up at the field





headquarters to isolate the relatively "hot" samples obtained  from this





project from  routinely analyzed low-level samples,  and to  allow as





short  a time  lapse as possible between collection and analysis.  The





facility consisted  of a compound enclosing two  40'x8' volume  van trai-





lers housing counting  room  and radiochemistry laboratory,  and three





50' x 10' office trailers serving  as shops, treatment rooms for animals





and office and storage  space.   This  compound  was conveniently located





adjacent  to a radiation safety facility  maintained for the test site by





Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co.  Helicopters and ground vehi-





cles returning from the field were unloaded and  surveyed in this rad-safe





area.  Samples and personnel were processed through standard rad-safe





decontamination before entering the  headquarters compound.







2. 1  PHYSICAL SAMPLING








 The physical sampling equipment at each station comprised four basic





 systems.  These were  the high and low volume air  samplers, a cascade





impactor, and a sequential sampler  as described below.
                                  -6-

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High Volume Air Sampler.  - 2 per station




This was a Staplex sampler equipped with 8" x 10" glass fiber





prefilterand 3-1/4" diameter charcoal cartridge (MSA1 Catalog





No. CR-46727), drawing 25-35 cubic feet of air per minute as





calibrated with a Venturi meter.







Low Volume Air Sampler.  - 2 per station




This was aGelman vacuum  pump drawing air at about 0. 7 cubic




feet per  minute through a 47 mm Millipore Type HA  prefilter;




a carbon cartridge consisting of a polyethylene tube 8" long by




9/16" I. D. backed by 8-14meshcoconut shell activated carbon,





and a flowmeter.  A small-mesh screen wire and a spun glass




plug were inserted into each end of the  cartridge  to hold the




carbon in place.  A  Dwyer  rotameter calibrated against a wet





test meter was used to measure air flow.  All connections were




made with 1/4" Tygon tubing.







Cascade Impactor. - 1  per  station




This was the standard  Casella impactor for  determining par-




ticle size, operated by a Gelman vacuum pump at a flow-rate





of approximately 17 liters  per minute.  The  four glass cover




slip stages were backed by  a Millipore filter  fifth  stage.
1 Mine Safety Appliances Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
                             -7-

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    Sequential Sampler.  -  1 per station







    This  was  the  Gelman sequential sampler  (Model No. 23000)





    with  Whatman Type  41  filter paper,  sampling in  10-minute





    periods for each cycle at a flow-rate of 16 liters per minute.








Each  set of sampling equipment was mounted on a special  wooden rack





which allowed the entire  physical  sampling  array for each station to be





transported,  set up,  and operated as a single  unit  powered by three





1. 5 kw generators.  The rack was designed so that  all samples were





taken three feet above the ground.








When a station was  shut down after passage of the radioactive cloud,  all





samples  were packaged  for helicopter transport to the field  headquar-





ters.   The high volume  prefilters were placed in glassine  envelopes





which were then taped shut.   The  high volume  carbon cartridges -were





sealed in plastic  bags.   The cascade impactor was disconnected  and





sealed in a plastic bag.  A plastic  cover was placed over the low volume





filter holder, and the filter holder  and carbon cartridge were disconnec-





ted and sealed in separate plastic  bags.  The elapsed roll of filter  paper





from the  sequential sampler was  detached and sealed in plastic.  All





these bagged  and  sealed samples  were then placed in  a single large





plastic bag for transport to the field headquarters.

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2.2  BIOLOGICAL SAMPLING


Purebred beagle dogs were used  as biological air  samplers.   These

animals  were obtained several weeks prior to  the operation and were

housed inkennels at the headquarters compound.  To quantitate air sam-

pled by the dogs, and to relate the radioiodine collected with that collec-

ted by the physical air  sampling  systems, respiratory  frequency and

inspired air  volume of each animal were determined before the  Sedan

event.   The measurements  were made under simulated field conditions

after the animals •were acclimated to  summer  desert conditions.  The

measurement system utilized Fleisch Pneumotachographs1  of various

flow capacities, built into latex-coated plaster of paris face masks indi-

vidually constructed and fitted to each dog. Pressure differences sensed

by the pneumotachograph -were converted  through a battery  operated

Sensitive Differential Pressure  Transducer,  Model  1004A2 containing

the transducer, a control indicating meter, and a recorder driver,  to

a tracing on the  high  torque,  spring operated  Model AW  Esterline

Angus recorder.


To supplement these pre-event breathing calibrations, two  animals at

each sampling station wore the breathing apparatus during cloud  pass-

age. After the event, respiratory measurements were continued on all

dogs not sacrificed immediately after exposure.


Since time was not available to train the  dogs in sampling behavior,
1 Instrumentation Associates, New York
2 Monroe Electronic Laboratories, Inc.,  Middleport,  New  York
                                 -9-

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they were exposed in cages made of wire mesh.  All animals were pre-




pared  and caged  at the headquarters compound.  Two air-conditioned





panel trucks carried  ten  caged dogs  to form the biological  sampler




complement at each sampling station.







It was intended that each  dog be tranquilized by oral administration of





chlorpromazine upon arrival at the  sampling locations to facilitate hand-




ling.  However, difficulties encountered in administering the tranquili-





zer  prevented  tranquilization of animals at  the  station closest to  GZ




and re suited in partial tranquilization of animals at the other two stations,.




Breathing measurement apparatus  was connected to two dogs at each





station to operate throughout the sampling  period as reference meas-




urements.  All dogs were placed  on a platform three feet above  the




ground in close proximity to the physical sampling devices.







To determine  the body burden of activity inhaled during cloud passage,




it was essential to  prevent inhalation of resuspended material and  in-




gestion of  material deposited  on the  nose and fur.   Therefore, four





animals at  each station,  including one of those wearing the respiratory




measurement devices, were  sacrificed as  soon as possible after cloud




passage.   The  area surrounding the nose and mouth of each remaining




animal was washed with a detergent solution to prevent introduction of




additional activity by lapping.   The dogs were left in their restraining




cages to prevent lapping of other areas of  the body.  After intravenous




administration  of sodium pentobarbital, sacrifice was accomplished bv




maximal  blood  withdrawal from the hearts using  standard blood donor







                                 -10-

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kits to withdraw and receive the blood.  Sacrificed animals were sealed




in large polyethylene bags before being loaded into the helicopters with





the caged dogs, the blood samples, and the physical samples for trans-




port to the headquarters compound.  Before being  readmitted into the





compound, all dogs were decontaminated at the Area 400 Rad-Safe facil-





ity with warm water and detergent,  and the neck and chest areas were




shaved.  The sacrificed animals were again sealed in clean polyethylene





bags before being taken  to the clean  area,  and the living animals were




returned to the kennels to await in vivo counting of the thyroid and ser-




ial sacrifice.







2.3   DOSIMETRY







Dose  rate  readings  were taken at each station with portable  survey in-





struments  including the Beckman  MX-5  (range  0-20  mr/hr), .the




Eberline E500-B (range  0-2  r/hr),  and the  Tracerlab TIB  (range




0-50 r/hr). Readings were recorded every  ten minutes until the cloud





arrived and every three minutes during cloud passage.  Integral gamma




dose to each station was determined  from Du Pont Type 556  film badge




dosimeters containing high and  low  range film components.  These





badges were attached to the physical  sampling gear  racks.







One roentgen  and 10 roentgen  ionization chamber  dosimeters  and high





and low range film  badges  were used as personnel dosimeters.  These





were  standard personnel dosimeters  issued and analyzed by  the REECo




Radiation Safety  Dosimetry Section.   The protective clothing used was
                                -11-

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also supplied by REECo Rad-Safe and consisted of standard radex suiting




in addition  to respirators with  charcoal  cannisters.   Team members




suitedup in the field just prior to cloud arrival.  Respirators were worn




only when the dose rate rose to a pre-determined level.   Upon return




from the  field, team personnel  were decontaminated by standard pro-





cedures at the REECo Rad-Safe facility.
                                -12-

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                              Chapter 3




                   LABORATORY METHODOLOGY









3. 1   PROCESSING OF SAMPLES







For the most part, processing of samples prior to counting consisted of




simply repackaging the samples in clean containers  when they had re-




turned from the field.  Chemical  separation of iodine was performed




only on low volume sampler prefilters twelve days after the event.  Par-




ticle  sizing attempts were not successful.







Dog autopsies were performed  through  the  polyethylene bags to mini-




mize  contamination of internal  tissues.   A midline incision was made




through the bag and skin from larynx to  sternum.  A skin-and-bag flap




was  reflected to expose neck musculature, which was then dissected




with a clean set of instruments to expose the thyroid gland,  trachea,




and esophagus.  With  a third set of clean instruments the thyroid gland




was carefully removed to a small plastic bag  in which it was weighed




and counted.  The  trachea was  reflected  and  the esophagus  removed




and sealed in a plastic bag,  again  using  clean sets  of instruments for




each  operation.   After continuing the midline incision from sternum to




pubis, further dissection  was carried out in  an anterior to posterior
                                 -13-

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direction to  remove respiratory system, stomach, small intestine,




large intestine, kidneys, and gonads.  Each of these samples was sealed




in a pre-weighed plastic container in -which its weight and redioactivity




was determined.  Extreme care was taken throughout the sample pro-





cessing  procedures to prevent  redistribution of  activity or  cross





contamination of samples.







3. 2  RADIOASSAY OF SAMPLES







Three systems  were used for assaying the gamma activity of samples.




The systems were assembled from components on hand, borrowed from





routine programs, or purchased new  if time  permitted.  The urgency




of the Sedan program,  the short lead time,  and the necessity for return-




ing many system components to their routine duties  at other locations





limited the extent of calibration.  Also,  it was not possible  to  acquire




the desired spectrum of gamma energies from the standards available.




The three gamma analysis systems are described below  and the stan-




dards used for  their calibration are listed in Table 1,




               Table 1.  List of radioisotope standards.
ISOTOPE
I131
Cs137
Zn65
K40
HALF LIFE
8. 08 days
26.6 years
245 days
1 . 25xl09 years
ENERGY
0. 36 Mev
0. 64 Mev
0. 66 Mev
1. 12 Mev
1.46 Mev
Calibration curves for two of the systems are shown in the  Appendix,





Part B.
                                  -14-

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System 1.  4" x 4" Nal(Tl) crystal assembly with RIDL
           400-channel gamma pulse height analyzer.
Most samples analyzed by this system were sealed in the quart

size plastic cheese-tub type container having a 3-3/4" diameter

base.  To calibrate for this configuration, counting efficiencies

were determined for  various levels of a  solution of each stan-

dard.  Channel width was set to be  10  Kev.   For photopeak

energies below 900-Kev, counts were  summed over eight chan-

nels (80 Kev).  Above 900 Kev,  nine channels (90 Kev) were

summed.   The  counting  efficiencies obtained  are  shown in

Table 2.


Samples in three additional configurations  were analyzed with

the 4" x 4" scintillator-spectrometer  system.   These were the

MSA charcoal cannister, the hand-packed tube of charcoal, and

the membrane filter from  Gelman low volume  samplers.


To calibrate for the MSA cannister, a portion of charcoal equi-

valent to approximately 1/8" penetration was removed and im-

pregnated with a known volume of the  iodine-131 standard sol-

ution.  After slow drying, the impregnated charcoal was mixed

with the uncontaminated granules and replaced in the cannister..

Both the cannister and the container used for drying the char-

coal were  counted, showing a 16% detection efficiency for I1 31

in the cannister configuration.
                            -15-

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Table 2.  Efficiencies of the 4"x 4" solid crystal of System 1 and the 9"x 8" well crystal of System 2 for
          counting radioisotope standards.
ISOTOPE
STANDARDS
I131



Cs137



Zn65



K40


SYSTEM 1.
STD. GEOMETRY
VOL.
(ml)
115
230
345
575
115
230
345
460
115
230
345
460
115
230
345
HT.
(in)
3/4
1-3/8
2
3-1/2
3/4
1-3/8
2
2-3/4
3/4
1-3/8
2
2-3/4
3/4
1-3/8
2
RANGE
SUMMED
(Kev)
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
90
90
90
90
90
90
90
COUNTING
EFFICIENCY
(%)
13.5
10.5
8. 62
6.24
14. 1
11.4
9.25
7.80
5.25
4.20
3.40
2.92
2.05
1. 68
1.32
SYSTEM 2.
STD. GEOMETRY
VOL,.
(ml)
200



200



200



200


HT.
(in)
2



2



2



2


RANGE
SUMMED
(Kev)
80
90


80
90


110
130


110


COUNTING
EFFICIENCY
(%)
55.9
59.0


57.5
62.9


27.5
30.9


18.3



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In a similar manner the charcoal from the hand-packed tubes

was calibrated for counting in the quart-sized tub.  A detection

efficiency for  I131 in this configuration was also found to be

16%, as it was for  the membrane filter placed in a 2" diameter

stainless steel planchet, impregnated with the  standard I131,

and counted on top of the crystal.
System 2.   9" x 8" Nal(Tl) crystal assembly containing 3"x5"
            well with RIDL, 400- channel pulse  height analyzer.
A snap-top plastic container having a flat base  and  a very

slight taper,  custom-made by Nalge Co.1  to fit the crystal.

well, was not available for use during the Sedan event.  There-

fore, all samples analyzed "in this system followed the geomet-

rical configuration of a 500 ml. plastic bottle 2-3/4" diameter

and 6-1/2" in height.  A  200 ml.  volume rising approximately

2" above the container base  was  selected as a volume repre-

sentative of the  samples to be counted in this system.  The re-

solution of this  crystal was poorer  than that of the 4" x 4",

spreading  photopeaks over a wider range.  Therefore,  effici-

encies were determined by summing from  eight to thirteen

channels  depending on photopeak energy.   This is shown in

Table 2 with the detection efficiencies obtained.
1  The Nalge Company, Rochester,  New York
                             -17-

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    System 3.   5" x 6"  Nal(Tl) crystal with 3" x 5" well and RIDL
                sealer.
    This  system  was  used to determine gross  gamma  activity.

    Sample geometry was similar to that in the 9" x 8" well crys-

    tal assembly.  Two hundred milliliters  of  standard solution in

    500 ml.  polyethylene  containers were counted and the  efficien-

    cies calculated.   In addition,  an efficiency was calculated for

    200ml. of a mixed standard solution.  Since efficiency  is highly

    dependent on gamma energy,  it was realized  that  the method

    would not give  a true efficiency for mixed  fission products.

    True efficiency would depend on the relative levels of activity

    at  the various energies.  Since it was expected that the lower

    energy isotopes would be more prevalent, gross gamma detec-

    tion efficiency was determined for a mixture of I1 3 1 and  Zn6 5

    standard solutions in  which the activity of  I131 was greater by

    a factor of three.  This efficiency was found to be 63%.


Physical samples received for counting were MSA charcoal cannisterss

hand-packed charcoal tubes,  membrane  prefilters, 8" x 10" glass  fiber

prefilters, and the Millipore filters and  glass cover-slip  stages from

cascade impactors.  Gamma  pulse height analysis  of  these  samples

could not be  made immediately because of the high levels of radioactiv-

ity  they contained and the complexity of  the isotope mixture.   Low  vol-

ume sampler membrane  and charcoal filters  were  analyzed  prior  to
                                  18-

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D+5, but at D+5 it was  still impossible to obtain information on the high





volume samples.  By D+28 the activity in the high volume samples had





decayed to countable levels.







An attempt was made to count grossbeta activity on the membrane pre-





filters and impactor  cover-slips by placing each sample on a stainless





steel planchet and counting it  in an internal proportional counter.  How-





ever,  dust  particles were blown around the chamber  during the gas





purge, causing gross contamination of the equipment.  Therefore, these




samples were  sealed in polyethylene containers and counted for gross




gamma activity only.







The  biological  samples received for counting included thyroid, blood,




respiratory system,  esophagus, small intestine and contents, large in-





testine and contents, kidneys, and gonads from each dog.   Gross  gam-




ma activity in  these  samples  was determined as soon as possible  after




autopsy.  These data were  to be used if a gamma pulse height analysis




of each organ could  not be made,  since it was possible to estimate from




the gamma  scans the percentage of  gross  gamma activity contributed





by the various isotopes of the mixture.  By  this method,  a quantitation





of the  isotopes present was obtained in some organs which had not been




gamma scanned.  The gross gamma count was  also used to indicate the





level of activity on  the sample before a  detailed pulse height analysis





was  attempted.
                                 -19-

-------
One- to five-minute gamma scans were made of all organs except those




so highly contaminated as to produce approximately 100% analyzer dead




time.  The larger organs  were placed in the tub container and scanned




on the 4" x 4" crystal.   The smaller organs were  scanned in the well




crystal.  A second scan was obtained on all organs one or two days later





and, when possible, a third count was made several days later. All the




thyroid samples •were recounted on D+5 and again on D+22.







3. 3  IN VIVO ANALYSIS







In addition to serial sacrifice and autopsy of exposed dogs followed by




in vitro  analysis of  organs and tissues, an attempt -was made  to  follow





the  build-up  and decay of iodine in the thyroid by in vivo counting.   To




do this, a system was constructed in which two 3" x 3" Nal(Tl) crystals




were optically coupled  to two photomultiplier tubes, which  in turn were




coupled to preamplifiers feeding into the two inputs of a TMC(400-channel)




pulse height analyzer.  Each crystal  was  encased in a 1-1/2"  lead




flat-field collimator.  In addition, a 2" x 2" Nal(Tl) crystal encased in




1/2" lead sheet was available as a supplementary detector.







Meaningful  calibration, effective collimation,  and reproducible geom-




etry are necessary features of an in vivo  counting system.  A  reprodu-




cible procedure for  the Sedan  study was established by  making several




trial counts  with the available  equipment,   but insufficient  time  was




available for further refinements.  One of the dogs which had not been

-------
exposed served as a control. The greatest reproducibility was obtained





in trial counts by placing one  3" x 3"  crystal to view the right side of




the neck and the other to view the thyroid from underneath.  By using





this method  to  scan  the thyroids of  exposed dogs,  barely detectable





levels of radioiodine were seen, although tellurium-132 and tungsten-18?




were present.  This indicated that the  flat-field collimator had allowed





the crystals to view more than just the thyroid (probably the respiratory




system).  Therefore in vivo counting data we re used only to indicate the




relative change in  iodine content of the animal thyroid as a function of




time.
                                -21-

-------
Table 3.  Qualitative analysis of the body burden of gamma emitters in
          a dog sacrificed 24 hours after inhalation exposure 42 miles
          from ground zero.
SAMPLE ANALYZED
Thyroid Gland
Respiratory
System
Esophagus
Small Intestine
and Contents
Large Intestine
and Contents
Kidneys
Gonads (testes)'
Blood
DAY ANALYZED
D+2
D + l
D+2
D+l

D + l
D + l
D + l
ISOTOPES DETECTED
I131 I133 Xe133m
W187 Te13Z j!33
Xe133m
W187 Te132 J131
Xe133m Xe135
Wi87 Xe132 I133
Xe133m
Activity exceeded
capacity
W1 87 Te1 32
W187
W187 Te132 I131


I133
I131
counting


I133
                                 -22-

-------
                              Chapter 4





                              RESULTS










The high levels of activity, the complexity of gamma spectra, the pres-





ence of unusual contaminants such as W187, and the minimal calibra-




tion of counting equipment  all contributed to the difficulty of making a




valid  analysis of the data,  and reduced the reliability of much of  the





data obtained.  A discussion of the data analysis procedure and a sam-




ple calculation are included in the Appendix.  The results presented in




this section are considered to be reliable for relative comparisons, for




order of magnitude quantitation, and for indicating trends.  In view of




the many imponderables, no attempt has been made  to  determine





probable error.







A qualitative analysis of  the organs  of a dog which had been exposed at




the 42-mile station and sacrificed twenty-four hours  later showed the





body burden contained, at time of count, the isotopes listed in Table 3.




Because of the complexity of the spectra of the various organs,  it was





decided to consider the thyroid data  primarily.   Since only radioiodine





and its daughters  are  expected in the gamma spectrum  of an exposed




thyroid,  quantitative  estimates could be made.   Initial count,  recount





after five days, and a:third count after .twenty-two days would assure a







                                -23-

-------
Table 4.  Data from biological samplers,  including iodine in dog thyroids  analyzed in vitro.
EXPOSURE LOCATION
AND TIME OF
CLOUD ARRIVAL


GZ +14 miles

•H + 1 / 2


Qf-s-f-n nr, 9

GZ +31 miles
H + 1-1/3

c •

GZ +42 miles

H +2

SACRIFICE
TIME .'
(±1/2 hr)


H + 1-3/4

H + 29

H +73


. H+l-1/4
H + 30
H +75


H +:3-l/2

H +28
H +75
DOG
NO.

1 1

16
17
43
? ?
77
37
2
3
28
4

5
14
23
15
33
38
21
26
32
7

12
30
4.1

25
35
40
8
18
24
AVERAGE RATE
OF INHALATION
( ml / mill )
818

2375
744
2153
ons
1 0 1 ?
946
1167
794
1590
70^

368
741
750
1462
1558
980
1058
1507
1262
AQC

1056
1324
2242

1501
1248
1756
1119
629
996 .
VOLUME OF
AIR INHALED
(M3)
A 1 ?. v 1 f) ~ 2

17.8 xlO-2
5.58xlO~2
16.1 xlO"2
A & i vi n ~z
7 RQ-S-I n "2
7.09xlO"2
8. 75xlO-2
5.95xlO-2
11.. 9 xlO"2
q fi4Y i n "2

5. 15xlO~2
10.4 xlO-2
10.5 xlO"2
20. 5 xlO"2
21.8 xlO"2
13.7 xlO"2
14.8 xlO'2
21. 1 xlO"2
; 17.7 XlO"2
5 Q6xl 0 "2

9. 19xlO"2
11.5 xlO~2
i q c; vl n "2

13. 1 XlO"2
10.9 xlO"2
15. 3 xlO"2
9.73xlO"2
5.47xlO-2
8.66xlO-2
NET dpm If
extrapolated to
I131


-----


8.00xl02
4.59xl03
1.47xl03
2. 38xl03


4. 24xl03
6.74xl03
2.83xl03
6.43xl05
6.75xl05
2.97xl05
6.52xl05
8.67xl05
6.00xl05


5.95xl03
1.09xl03

2. 29xl05
6.44xl04
7.50xl04
1. 24xl05
1.26xl05
3. 13xl05
i THYROID
sacrifice time
I133


-----


_____
_____
3 OSxlO4

1.35xl05
1.88xl05
5. 90x1 O4
6. 14xl06
6. 21xl06
2.74xl06
1. 36xl06
1. 59xl06
1.73xl06


1. 37xl05
2.96xl04

2. 33xl05
6.60xl05
7. 57xl05
2.58xl05
2.75xl05
6.85xl05

-------
good quantitation of some of the radioiodines present.

Table 4 presents the in  vitro iodine analyses of dog thyroids.  The vol-

ume of air sampled by each dog, as determined by the method described,

is also listed.  It can be seen that the ratio of I1 3 3 to I131 decreases with

the length of time before sacrifice.  The ratios are the same for a given

sacrifice time at both stations,  indicating that no appreciable fractiona-

tion of iodine or its precursors  occurred as the cloud moved from thirty-

one to forty -two miles.

Table 5 presents the results of the analyses of the low volume air sam-

ples.  No I1 31  was detected in these samples, indicating the relatively

negligible amount of that isotope present in the air at the times of sam-

pling.  When the activity of I1 3 3 per cubic meter of air determined from

the low volume samples is compared with the  I133 activity per  cubic
meter of air  breathed by each dog  sacrificed  immediately after expo-

sure, the values of I1 3 3 concentration in air are  essentially the same.


         Table 5.   Iodine collected by low volume air samplers.
Sample
Location
Station 1
GZ +14 mi.
Station 2
GZ +31 mi.
Station 3
GZ +42 mi.
Flow
Collector „
Rate
T^6 (cfm)
Membrane
.71
Charcoal
Membrane
.54
Charcoal
Membrane
.61
Charcoal
Air I133
Sampled Activity*
(M3) (dpm/M3)
7.
1.47
1.
1.
2.07
1.
1.
1. 25
8.
27xl03
26xl04
07xl06
55xl05
31xl06
65xl04
Total I1 31 **
Activity*
(dpm/M3)
2. 09xl04
1. 22xl06
1.40xl06
   *Activity has been extrapolated to mid-sampling time.
  **Iodine l 31 measured on both membrane and charcoal filters.
                                  -25-

-------
Plots of the initial in vivo counts indicated a barely detectable amount




of radioiodine.  This was due to the time lag between inhalation and depo -




sition in the thyroid.  However, Te1 3 2 andW187 were present in these





initial plots, indicating that the flat-field collimator had viewed more




than just the thyroid.  Therefore, these data were used only to indicate




the change in iodine content of the animal thyroid as a function of time.





A  smaller crystal with  a higher  degree  of  collimation  would have





yielded more useful information.







Figures 2 and 3 are typical spectra obtained from in vivo counting  of a




dog from the 31-mile and one from the 42-mile station at the time and




dates indicated.  The change in iodine content of the thyroids is appar-





ent.  It must be emphasized that the  change pictured does not apply




specifically  to the thyroid, because other portions of  the animals' bod-




ies contributed to  the spectra obtained.  The qualitative picture shown




was substantiated by the in vitro results.







The majority of the individuals assigned to field teams wore protective




respiratory equipment during  cloud  passage, or were evacuated from




their stations.  One person, however,  remained at the 42-mile station




during the entire one-half hour period of operation.  He wore no respi-




rator  at any time,  although he was in and out of his vehicle. Shielding




afforded by the vehicle reduced his external gamma exposure to 525 mr




as compared to the total station exposure of 870 mr. On D+7, an energy




spectrum was determined on this individual at the  Walter Reed Army
                                 -26-

-------
Institute of Research in their Whole Body Counting Facility.  A 9" x 4"




sodium iodide crystal,  and calibration procedures and efficiency values




obtained from counts done on children were used.  At the  time of this




analysis, the total thyroid burden of I1 31 was calculated to be between




0. 1 and 0. 3 microcuries.  On D+l,  a thyroid scan  •was obtained on this





same individual using  the equipment  employed for in vivo counting of





dogs.  The I    thyroid burden  was found to be 0. 16 microcuries cor-




rected to mid-time of exposure.







A second individual at  the same (42-mile) station wore protective res-




piratory equipment  throughout  the  entire time of cloud passage. His




external gamma exposure was 475 mr.  On D+12, he was examined in the





whole body counting facility at New York University.  His thyroid bur-




den of I1 31 on D+12 was 8 x 10~4 microcuries.







On D+12, one  of the individuals  assigned to the 31-mile station was al-




so examined in the •whole body counting facility at New York University.




His body burden of I131 was 1 x 10~3 microcuries on D+12.  However,




he wore a respirator throughout the entire period except for that portion




of the time between team evacuation  and return for sample pick-up.




His estimated time  at  the station was twenty-seven minutes prior to





evacuation, during which time his external gamma exposure •was 1025 mr




compared to a station exposure of 2. 9  roentgens.







A fourth individual,  a member of  the Off-Site  Radiological  Safety




Program, was examined on the local in vivo system on D+l.  His I133
                                -27-

-------
UJ
H-

cr

H
Z
ID
O
o
 10
                                 COUNTED 1732 PDT  JULY  7

                               - COUNTED 1352 PDT  JULY  8
                               - COUNTED III I PDT  JULY  9
                         v\  /      \
 10
 10
          10    20   30    40    50   60    70   80    90   100
                    CHANNEL   NUMBER
Figure 2. In vivo spectra of the thyroid of one dog from the 31 -mile station.
                            -28-

-------
                              COUNTED 1642 PDT JULY 7
                           — COUNTED 1235 PDT JULY 8
                           	 COUNTED 1002 PDT JULY 9
                                     WI87+|I32
                              UU_/_L\_
                 30   40   50    60   70    80   90   100
                  CHANNEL  NUMBER
Figure 3. In vivo spectra of the thyroid of one dog from the 42 -mile station.
                         -29-

-------
thyroid burden was estimated to be  1. 4 x 10~2 microcuries corrected to




mid-time of exposure.  This  person's duties  took him back and forth




through the  cloud in the vicinity of the 42-mile  station and,  although his





duration of exposure is not known, it has been established  that no protec




tive breathing equipment was •worn.   His external gamma exposure was





770 mr.
                                -30-

-------
                              Chapter 5





                           CONCLUSIONS










A comparison of the average amount of I1 33  collected by the low volume




samplers (Millipore  prefilters plus activated carbon  cartridges) with





that found in the  thyroids  of  dogs sacrificed immediately after cloud




passage is of interest.  At the  31-mile station, the low volume  sampler




showed the average I1 33 content of the cloud to have been 1.2x10  dpm





per cubic meter (see Table 5). Four dogs •were sacrificed at that sta-




tion,  and their thyroids were removed and  counted  separately.   The




average value obtained from counting the four thyroids  indicated an I1 3 3





content of 1.4x10   dpm in the thyroid per cubic meter of air inhaled.




This concentration value is obtained by dividing total I1 33 in each thyroid




by the total amount of air breathed (sampled) by  each dog.  A  similar





agreement existed at the 42-mile station.  Here, the low volume air




sampler  indicated an I1 3 3 content in air of  1.4x 106 dpm per  cubic




meter, and the average  amount found from counting the thyroids of two




dogs was  0. 9 x 10  dpm per cubic meter.







Two interpretations of  these data are possible.  First, it could be as-





sumed that all I133 inhaled by a beagle dog goes  directly and  rapidly





to the thyroid and that the physiological system is  a completely efficient
                                 -31-

-------
sampling mechanism.  This conclusion is quite improbable.   One must




therefore accept the  second interpretation and assume that the physical





sampling gear currently considered  optimum for sampling radioactive




iodine effluents is actually very inefficient, being on the order of 10% or





less.  Thus,  there is an urgent need for additional  studies  directed




toward the determination of radioiodine concentration in air  which will




lead to the development of truly quantitative sampling methodology,







Of all the radioactive iodine isotopes, I131 has justifiably received the




greatest attention.  This is  logical  when  one  considers ingestion alone




at times after a release measured in days.  The  situation is entirely





different when relatively near distances and shorter times are considered




for inhaled material.  No I1 31  -was detected in either  the prefilters or




the activated  carbon  cartridges at the 31-mile or  42-mile stations when




they -were counted immediately upon return to the laboratory.  The  filters




were stored,  however, and iodine was extracted chemically at D+12 and




analyzed for I1 31 .  The I1 3 1  was then  extrapolated back to the  mid-time




of the sampling period to give a hypothetical  I1 31 content of  the  cloud.




At the 31-mile station,  the hypothetical I131  concentration in air was





1.2x 106 dpm per cubic meter,  and at the 42-mile  station was




1.4  x 106  dpm per cubic meter.  Admittedly, these data are  subject to




large errors  due to such factors as  sampler  inefficiencies and incom-





plete chemical extractions.  It may  be significant, however, that the




averages of the animal thyroids from the 31- and 42-mile stations indi-




cated respectively 5. 9 x 104 and 3. 7 x 104  dpm of I1 31 per cubic meter.
                                 -32-

-------
 The  presence  of I131 is certainly  confirmed in the cloud,  and is  in




 agreement with the theoretical fact that  at  the time of sampling,  I131





 represents 0.6% of the total iodine activity and  I133 represents  11%.





 There was probably very little I131  on  the physical samples counted




 immediately, and  that obtained by chemical extraction at D+12  resulted





 from the decay of Te1 31  captured  on the filters.  It can be concluded that





 the animal takes a more ra'cxmsaiife- representation  of the iodine activities




 than does physical sampling equipment because the animal "does its own





 chemistry" and deposits  these activities in strictly correct ratios in the




 thyroid gland.







 A  comparison of the I1 33/I1 31 ratio  found  in the  dog thyroids with theo-





 retical ratios as a function of time  supports the validity of  this conclu-




 sion.  At H+l. 5  the I1 33/I1 31  ratio in the thyroids at the 31-mile station





was  23.7.  At  the  42-mile  station  the ratio was  24. 4.  According  to





Glendennen's  theoretical calculations,  the ratios  are 24. 4  at one hour




and 19.6 at three hours after instantaneous fission of U235 .







No obvious correlation or trend was observed between the ratio of total




radioactive iodines in animals' thyroids compared with the total exter-




nal gamma dose at either the 31- or 42-mile  stations.
                                 -33-

-------
                             APPENDIX

                          Table of Contents

Part                                                           Page

 A      TABLE  OF  DECAY SCHEMES                         Ap-  1

 B      CALIBRATION CURVES FOR TWO GAMMA PULSE
         HEIGHT ANALYSIS  SYSTEMS                         Ap-  3

 C      DATA ANALYSIS                                      Ap- 4

 D      SAMPLE CALCULATION   Bateman Solution for a.
         Three-Membered Chain                                Ap-10

-------
                             Part A

                  TABLE  OF DECAY SCHEMES
                      Chain        Energy
                     Member        (Mev)

                     Te13im        . 18,  .84,  .77
                     Te131          . 15,  .94,  .45
                     I131           .36,  .64
Sn132—(2.2m>^Sb132—(2. lm)-^Te13 2—(77 . 7h)->I13 2  (2. 3h)
Chain
Member
Te132
I132
Energy
(Mev)
.23
.67, .7
                                   .67,  .78,  .53,  .96,  1.40
Sb133-(4. lm)-^Te133m-(53m)-»Te133—(2
                                           (20.8h)
                                      Xe133m   Xe133
                                       (2.3d)    (5.27d)

                      Chain        Energy
                     Member       (Mev)
                     Tei33m       >33> >4Q
                     Te133         .60, 1.00, .40
                     I133          .53, .85, 1.40
                     Xe133m       .23
                     Xe133         .08

                             Ap-1

-------
Sb134—(48s)-^Te134—(42m)-^I134  (53m)

                      Chain        Energy
                     Member       (Mev)
                     Tl 34
                                   1. 10, .86, . 12, .20, 1.78
                                  j-30% Xe135m—(6.7hk

Sb135—(24s)-^Te135—(1.4mH»I135—I	(15. 6h)	U Xe135 (9.13h)

                      Chain        Energy
                     Member       (Mev)
                     I135           1.14, 1.28, .53, 1.72, 1.46, .86,
                                    1.80, 1.04, .42
                     Xe135m       .23
                     Xe135         .08
                             Ap-2

-------
   10"
    2--
O
z
UJ

O
li.
u.
UJ
10'
    5'-
   I01
                WELL  CRYSTAL- SYSTEM  2

                BELOW 90 KEV,  SUM 9 CHANNELS
                ABOVE 90 KEV,  SUM II CHANNELS

                           -200 ML.
          SOLID  CRYSTAL- SYSTEM
          BELOW 90 KEV, SUM 8 CHANNELS

          ABOVE 90 KEV, SUM 9 CHANNELS
                   '	115 ML.

                   I	230 ML.

                   h—345 ML.
    2- —
                                                       \>
              25
50       75       100

 ENERGY   (KEV)
                                              125
ISO
   PartB.  Calibration curves for two gamma pulse height analysis systems,
                           Ap-3

-------
                              Part C





                        DATA ANALYSIS











C-l.  DETERMINATION OF IODINE CONCENTRATION IN AIR





In determining the iodine  content of the air  during cloud passage,  the





data from the low volume samplers were used.  The  activity on these





samples was  low enough  to allow several gamma scans to be  made.





Also, chemical separation of the  iodine from the prefilter was carried





out.  Two extractions were  made on the  prefilters approximately five





days  apart.   The iodine from  the first extraction is a function of the





quantity sampled and grown in to H+7,  whereas the second  extraction





indicates ingrowth alone.








The gamma scan from D-f 4 was used in calculating the I133 in the char-





coal filter.   The contribution to this energy region from other  photo-





peaks was  again assumed  to be  negligible. Calculation of I131 -was car-





ried out by relating  gamma scans from D+27 to data from D + 4.








The quantity of iodine calculated  from the membrane filter is the com-





bined activity of the  actual iodine sampled and that  produced by decay





of its precursors.  To determine how  much actual iodine was present





in the air  at  the time of sampling,  a different approach -was  taken.
                                  Ap-4

-------
Extrapolation of the measured  value  back to time of sampling is not

valid,  since the value actually represents decay and ingrowth of the

isotopes.


Correction for this  was made through use of the information provided

by the two chemical extractions  on  the prefilter.  By considering the

formation of radioactive daughters  in the  decay of the  parents for an

n-member decay chain, a relationship  can be established, for any time,

between the existing quantity of an isotope, its initial quantity,  and the

quantity of its ancestor.  This  is a straightforward  application of the

Bateman equation1 .


The Bateman solution for a chain of n members in which only the parent

substance is  present at tQ is:
       Where,
-At -At
N = Ce ' + Ce 2 + 	
n i 2
\\ 	 \, - ,
r
1 (A - A ) (A - A ) 	 (A
2 is i r
A A A -
i 2 	 n i

2 (A - A ) (A - A ) 	 (A
r ~V
. . . . C e
n
No


kit)
. A^ N" ^
If more than just the parent Substance is present at to, an addition is

made to the above solution;  a Bateman solution for an (n-1)-membered

chain with  substance  i as the parent,  a Bateman solution  for an
1  Friedlander, G. ,  and J.W. Kennedy, Nuclear  and Radiochemistry,
   John Wiley & Sons, New York,  1955, p. 36.                   '     '
                                Ap-5

-------
(n-2)-membered chain  with the  next substance as the parent,  etc.  A





calculation of the percentage Te131 in air is given in Part D as an exam-





ple of a Bateman solution.  For the I133 determination, it was first nec-





essary to find from the  second extraction the amount of I13  interfering





in the I1 3 3 region.  Then,  the quantity of I1 3 3  in the second extraction





was calculated.  The  Bateman equation was used to derive the Te1 33rn





content at  time  of first  extraction, A straight extrapolation back to mid





sampling time was made to obtain the Te1 33m  content  of the air at that





time. Application of the Bateman equation to the data from the first ex-





traction gave a relationship between  the I133 that existed in the first ex-





traction, the initial I133 in the air at mid-sampling time, and the Te133m





in the air  at mid-sampling time.  With two  quantities known,  the I133  in





the air  at  mid-sampling time •was determined.








If most of the I1 31 had formed at the time of sampling, little or no I1 31





would appear in the second extraction. However, a significant  amount





was present, and its existence can be explained upon closer examination





of the decay scheme (See  Appendix,  Part A).  Early references list the





ancestors of  I131 as a 3.4-minute Sn and a  23-minute  Sb.   Current evi-





dence points  toward a 1. 6-hour Sn as the fission fragment. Both values





are reported as reliable,  but neither one is listed as a  metastable form.





Also,  Sb, the daughter of Sn, branches on decay to a 30-hour Te and a





24. 8-minute  Te.  The  30-hour  Te  in turn branches  on decay  to  the





24. 8 -minute  Te and to  a 8 . 08 -day iodine.
                                 Ap-6

-------
 The more significant parent of the I1 3 1  is the 24. 8-minute Te1 31 which
 isformedfrom 85% of the Sb131 decay.  Calculations indicate  that  at
 the H+2. 5 mid-sampling time, only a small percentage (approximately
 13%) of this Te1 31  had formed.  Since it is the preponderant parent and
 is of shorter half-life, a small percentage of Te131 would imply an even
 smaller percentage of its daughter product. We therefore conclude that
 an insignificant amount of I131  was in the air at the time it was sampled.
Absence of I1 3 l in the physical samples supports this conslusion.

 C-2.  DETERMINATION OF IODINE IN DOG THYROIDS
 Quantitative calculation  of iodine in dog thyroids  was based  on the
 0.53 Mev peak of I133 and the 0. 36 Mev peak of the  I1 3 l .  Thereisan
 interference  from  the 0.53  Mev peak in the 0.36 Mev region,  but the
 contribution of  the 0. 36  Mev peak in the 0. 53 Mev region is negligible.
 On this basis,  and  using the data  from  D+5,  which indicated only two
 photopeaks, the I133 photopeak could be quantitated.

 Data from D+22 provided information on the I1  31 for twelve of the thy-
 roids.   These quantities  were extrapolated backtoD+5to compare them
with the quantities  calculated from the D+ 5  data.  A  ratio of the differ-
 ence between the I1 31 values to the sum in the  0. 53 Mev photopeak was
 determined to obtain the interference coefficient of the 0.53  Mev peak
 in the  0. 36 Mev region.  This ratio was determined  for the twelve thy-
 roids and an average value calculated.  The  average value for the inter-
 ference coefficient was  then used to determine the  quantity of  I131 in the
 remaining thyroids.
                                   Ap-7

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The amount of I131 and I133 determined in the thyroids was then extrap-





olated back to the time of sacrifice of each animal.   This  seems to be





the only significant time at which the quantity of radioiodine measured





by this method is meaningful. Before death, there is a build-up of iodine





from decay of precursors in the other  organs,  and a  decrease through





biological elimination and through radioactive decay.  After death radio-





active decay is the only process continuing to affect iodine concentration





in the thyroid.








The existence of I1 3 1  in some thyroids of the animals sacrificed in the





field  at the end of sampling time indicatedthat the dog thyroid is  a more





sensitive sampler for  airborne  iodine  in a mixed  fission product cloud





than is standard air sampling equipment.  This is due to the advantage





provided by the living system's  ability  to concentrate and isolate iodine





in the thyroid.  This advantage seemed to hold even though the low vol-





ume equipment sampled from eight to forty times the  amount of air the





dogs  inhaled.  The I    determinations were carried out   twenty-two





days  after  sacrifice to allow the shorter-lived iodines to decay out and





permit observation of the I1 31 .   The amounts remaining at D + 22 were





at the minimum, detection limit, which probably explains why I131 was





not observed in all thyroids counted.








The relatively long half-life  of the Te132 (77.7 hours) would assure the





virtual non-existence of its daughter I132  at the  mid-sampling time of





H + 2.5.  The rate of decay of I134  is such that by the time these samples
                                Ap-8

-------
were assayed the isotope was not detectable.  Quantisation of I1 3 5 was




not attempted because of the multitude of photopeaks exhibited in the




spectrum.  Interference  among the many photopeaks made any evalua-




tion difficult and perhaps unrealistic.
                                Ap-9

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  PART D.  SAMPLE CALCULATION OF PERCENTAGE Te131 IN AIR AT MID-SAMPLING TIME



  The Bateman solution for a three-member chain is:

       ,_         -At                   -At                  _A t
       f        e  '                   e  *                 e  '        ]
  N   = 	+ 	+	  A  A  N°
   3       (A  - A) (A  -  A)       (A  - A) (A  - A)      (A  _ A) (A  - A)    '
       L    2     i' v 3    t'        1     Z1 V 3    27      X  1    37 V 2    3  J
In this instance:

  N   = Amount of Te1 3 l at any time t

  N°   = Initial quantity of Sn1 3 * .

  t    =2.5 hours, lapsed time after release
A, A2/ Aa
            =  Decay constants for Sn1 31 ,  Sb131,  andTe131, respectively.


Numerical values for the decay constants are:

   A  =  0.4431

   Az  =  1.8078

   Aa  =  1.6632


Numerical values for factors derived from the decay constants are:
                                                          -At
    (Aa - A) =  1.3647                                     e  '  5  0.3430

    (A3 - At) =  1.2201                                     e"^* =  0.0116

    (A8 - A2) -  0.1446                                     e~ at =  0.0164


The solution then becomes:
 N   -f      O-3430	          0-0116	        '  0.0164	1    4431) n  8078^N«
  3    [ (1.3647)(1.2201)       +   (-1.3647M-0.1446)    +   (-1. 2201)(0. 1446)	J (0.4431) (1. 8078)^
      =  0. 1306 N°   =  13% N°

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                        DISTRIBUTION  LIST

Copy
 1-15    SWRHL, Las Vegas, Nevada
 16      Terrill,  J.G.  Jr., DRH,  PHS, Washington, B.C.
 17      Anderson, E.G., TOB, DRH,  Washington, D. C.
 18      Snow, D.L., D&R, DRH,  PHS, Washington, D.C.
 19      Dahl, A.H., RSC, DRH, PHS, Washington,  D.C.
 20      Moore,  R.,  DRH, PHS, Dallas,  Texas
 21      Mail and Records, NVOO, AEC
 22      Reeves,  I.E.,  NVOO, AEC
 23      Test Manager,  AEC,  Ops.  Coord., Mercury- Nevada
 24      Allaire,  W.W., POD,  NVOO,  AEC
 25-27   Roehlk, O.H.,  OSD, NVOO, AEC
 28      Vermillion,  H.G.,  PIO, NVOO,  AEC
 29,30   U.S. Weather Bureau, NVOO, Las Vegas, Nevada
 31-36   Dunning, G.M., DOS,  AEC, Washington,  D.C.
 37      Test Branch, DMA, AEC, Washington, D.C.
 38      Kelly,  J.S..DPNE, AEC, Washington, D.C.
 39      Hamburger, R., Tech. Ops., DPNE, AEC, Washington, D.C.
 40      Ferber,  G.D., USWB, MRPB, Washington, D.C.
 41      Graves,  A.C., LASL, Los Alamos,  New Mexico
 42      Ogle, W.E., LASL, Mercury, Nevada
 43      Jordan,  H.S.,  H-8, LASL,  Los Alamos, New Mexico
 44      Bacigalupi,  C.M. , LRL,  Mercury, Nevada
 45      Olsen,  J.L . , LRL, Mercury, Nevada
 46      Rich, B.L.  LRL, Mercury, Nevada

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 47       Higgins, G. ,  L,RL,, Livermore, California



 48       Fleming, E.H., L,RL,3 Livermore,  California



 49       Goeckermann, R.H., L.RL, Liivermore,  California



 50       Potter, G. , L.RL,, Livermore, California



 51       Weapons Effects Test Grp., FC/DASA, Sandia Base, New Mexico



 52       Chief, Biophysics Div. ,  AFWL,,  KAFB, New Mexico



 53       QIC,  NERHL, Winchester,  Massachusetts



 54       RRHL, Rockville, Maryland



 55       QIC,  SERHL,5  Montgomery, Alabama



 56       Chief, RHRA, DRH, RATSEC3 Cincinnati, Ohio



 57       Fountain, E.L,.,  USA, MEDS, VSS Chicago,  Illinois



 58       Wampler,  S. , WRA1R -WRAMC,  Washington, B.C.



 59       Wilson,  R.H.,  Univ.  of Rochester AEP, Rochester, New York



 60       Gibb,  R. ,  Univ. of Rochester  AEP, Rochester, New York



 76-100  Author's Copies:  M.S. Seal

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