title: A feasibility study for transportable 241Am-in-lung and 241Am-in-nose-blow monitoring systems for use following a weapons accident.
abstract: In a nuclear weapon accident involving fire or conventional explosion, most of the radiation dose received by people in the immediate vicinity would result from inhalation of 239Pu. This is accompanied by the nuclide 241Am, which is much easier to determine by external counting because of the 60 keV gamma ray emission. In the event of an accident, a priority would be to identify any people who have had intakes of 239Pu which were so large that decorporation therapy should be considered. Direct measurement of lung content provides the most rapid and convenient method for assessing intakes by inhalation. A transportable system has been considered as this could be deployed close to the site of the accident and would allow rapid measurements to be made. The feasibility of a transportable 241Am-in-nose-blow and nasal swab measurement system has also been considered. This would be used to help select people for 241Am-in-lung measurements.
authors.affiliation: National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK. mike.youngman@nrpb.org
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Youngman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Etherington
authors.forename: J R H
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000552:Ambulances; D000576:Americium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D000576:Americium