Skip to main content Skip to navigation
U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries History of the USTUR

Health Physics Issue Dedicated to Registrant

Intake

An ion-exchange column containing about 100 g of 241Am exploded. The chemical operator sustained acid burns and superficial cuts to the face and upper body. From 1 to 5 Ci of 241Am were initially deposited on the registrant and his clothing. Decontamination efforts reduced this to 1 mCi during the first day post-exposure1.

Health Physics
10-1983hpj 10-1983hpj2
The October 1983 issue of Health Physics was dedicated to case 0246.

Ca-DTPA chelation therapy was initiated on the day of the incident, though toxicity concerns associated with long term Ca-DTPA administration prompted physicians to replace Ca-DTPA with Zn-DTPA during the following days and months2. Zn-DTPA was administered for several years.

About 500 urine samples were analyzed for 241Am between the 1976 incident and the end of 1983. One hundred fifteen blood measurements were taken from 1976 to 1981 and more than 270 fecal samples were collected between 1976 and 1983. Prior to the incident, one fecal sample and about 60 urine samples had been analyzed.

Autopsy and Pathology

The registrant died 11 years after the exposure, at age 75.

Radiochemistry results have been published in the Health Physics journal3.

October 1983 Journal of Health Physics

The October 1983 issue of the Health Physics journal was dedicated to case 0246. Eleven papers discussed various aspects of the incident: Overview and perspective1, Accident description4, Medical management and chelation therapy2, Psychological aspects5, External decontamination procedures6, Decontamination and treatment facility7, In-vivo measurement8, Organ burden and radiation dose estimates9, Hematologic effects10, Histologic and autoradiographic observations on skin11, and Urinary excretion of trace metals during DTPA treatment12.

References
  1. Thompson, R. C. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: overview and perspective. Health Phys. 45: 837-845; 1983.
  2. Breitenstein, B. D. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: medical management and chelation therapy. Health Phys. 45: 855-866; 1983.
  3. McInroy, J. F., Kathren, R. L., Toohey, R. E., Swint, M. J., Breitenstein, B. D. Jr. Postmortem tissue contents of 241Am in a person with a massive acute exposure. Health Phys. 69(3): 318-323; 1995.
  4. McMurray, B. J. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: accident description. Health Phys. 45: 847-853; 1983.
  5. Brown, W. R. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: phychological aspects. Health Phys. 45: 867-871; 1983.
  6. Jech, J. J., Berry, J. R., Breitenstein, B. D. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: external decontamination procedures. Health Phys. 45: 873-881; 1983.
  7. Berry, J. R., McMurray, B. J., Jech, J. J., Breitenstein, B. D., Quigley, E. J. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: decontamination and treatment facility. Health Phys. 45: 883-892; 1983.
  8. Palmer, H. E., Rieksts, G. A., Icayan E. E. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: in vivo measurements. Health Phys. 45: 893-910; 1983.
  9. Robinson, B., Heid, K. R., Aldridge, T. L., Glenn, R. D. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: organ burden and radiation dose estimates. Health Phys. 45: 911-921; 1983.
  10. Ragan, H. A., Mahaffey, J. A., Breitenstein, B. D. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: hematologic effects. Health Phys. 45: 923-932; 1983.
  11. Hampton, J. C. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: histologic and autoradiographic observations on skin. Health Phys. 45: 933-935; 1983.
  12. Kalkwarf, D. R., Thomas, V. W. Jr., Nielson, K. K., Mauch, M. L. 1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: urinary excretion of trace metals during DTPA treatments. Health Phys. 45: 937-947.