RADIATION PROTECTION 607 B. The following diet shows how the wheat data reported by the Atomic Energy Commission would be reflected in a typical adult diet. This diet is adapted from one that was presented by the Public Health Service at hearings of the Joint Committee an Atomic Energy last year. An estimated average daily consumption of 1.8 grams of bran, as estimated by the U. s. Department of Agriculture, was added to this diet (rounded in the table to 2.0 grams). The strontium 90 values for bran and flour products in this diet are the average values of the Atomic Energy Commission report. The strontium 90 values for other items of this diet are considered typical for a large metropolitan area. Comparative Consumption of Strontium 90 in an Average Diet of 2200 Grams 1000 of a kilogram or 1 of an ounce.) 28.35 608 RADIATION PROTECTION C. The averages were used in the above table because the National Committee on Radiation Protection and the International Commission on Radiation Protection recommendations are for general population averages. It is, however, necessary to consider individual variations from the average involving the know deviations in concentrations of strontium 90 from the average and individual variations in dietary habits. In calculating the guidelines for specific averages the National Committee on Radiation Protection and the International Commission on Radiation Protection recommendations allow departures as much as 3 times such averages. In a given case this could be equivalent to an individual lifetime average of 220 micromicrocuries of strontium 90 per day. I have had my staff calculate the strontium 90 content of various probable diets under the varying concentrations of strontium 90 reported by the Atomic Energy Commission. The conclusion was it would be highly improbable that any individual could attain an average of 73 micromicrocuries of strontium 90 per day for life, let alone the higher figure of 220 micromicrocuries. # # # Note: The 9 States referred to in the opening paragraph RADIATION PROTECTION 609 EXCERPT (PAGES 15-17) FROM FOURTH QUARTERLY STATEMENT ON FALLOUT, ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Wheat and Flour (Analyzed by the Health and Safety Laboratory) The re Strontium-90 levels in samples of 1958 wheat from the major wheat producing states have been reported previously in the Commission's second "Quarterly Statement on Fallout", October 9, 1959, in HASL-65 and HASL 69. Levels from nine states ranged from 21 to 133 micromicrocuries of strontium-90 per kilogram. The average, weighted according to 1958 production, was found to be 62. Subsequent to these analyses, a study of strontium-90 in milling products associated with these samples have been made.1 sults of this study are summarized in the table below. The corresponding levels in patent flour as estimated from this study was 9.5 micromicrocuries per kilogram. Less refined flours have greater strontium-90 content. The highest strontium-90 levels are found in the bran and the lowest in the patent flour. This relationship holds for calcium content also. Similar results have been reported by British investigators. 1similar studies of wheat and milling products from Mandan, North Dakota were reported in HASL-69, October 1, 1959. 610 RADIATION PROTECTION Material Wheat Milling Products - 1958 Crop from Nine States grams Calcium per kilogram Strontium-90 Averages Ranges Averages Samples of Spring and Winter 1958 wheat furnished by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station from 15 locations in South Dakota have been analyzed (see HASL-84) during the past quarter. Winter wheat levels ranged from 44 to 130 micromicrocuries of strontium-90 per kilogram and 0.31 to 0.40 grams of calcium per kilogram. Spring wheat values ranged from 46 to 60 for strontium90 and 0.33 to 0.40 for calcium. Some samples of 1959 wheat from six states have also been analyzed for strontium-90. Results of these analyses are summarized below (see HASL-84). Since these samples are from different states than those from which 1958 samples were reported above, no specific comparison of 1958 and 1959 levels can be made at this time. Samples for 1959 and 1960 crops from the same locations as the 1958 samples will be received and analyzed at a later date. (more) 1 |