Lapham S C, Millard J B, Samet J M
Environmental Improvement Division, New Mexico Health and Environment Dept., Santa Fe 87504-0968.
Health Phys. 1989 Mar;56(3):327-40. doi: 10.1097/00004032-198903000-00008.
This study was conducted to determine radionuclide tissue levels in cattle raised near U mining and milling facilities. Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, has been the site of extensive U mining for 30 y and contains several underground U mines, a processing mill, and two large U tailings piles. Ten cows were purchased from two grazing areas in Ambrosia Lake and ten control animals were purchased from Crownpoint, New Mexico. Muscle, liver, kidney, and bone tissue taken from these animals, and environmental samples, including water, grasses and soil collected from the animals' grazing areas, were analyzed for 238U, 234U, 230Th, 226Ra, 210Pb, and 210Po. Mean radionuclide levels in cattle tissue and environmental samples from Ambrosia Lake were higher in almost every comparison than those found in respective controls. Liver and kidney tissues were particularly elevated in 226Ra and 210Po. Radiation dose commitments from eating cattle tissue with these radionuclide concentrations were calculated. We concluded that the health risk to the public from eating exposed cattle is minimal, unless large amounts of this tissue, especially liver and kidney, are ingested.
本研究旨在确定在铀矿开采和选矿设施附近饲养的牛体内的放射性核素组织水平。新墨西哥州的安布罗西亚湖是大规模铀矿开采的场所，已有30年历史，这里有几个地下铀矿、一座选矿厂和两个大型铀尾矿堆。从安布罗西亚湖的两个放牧区购买了10头牛，并从新墨西哥州的克朗波因特购买了10头对照动物。对这些动物的肌肉、肝脏、肾脏和骨骼组织以及环境样本（包括从动物放牧区采集的水、草和土壤）进行了238U、234U、230Th、226Ra、210Pb和210Po的分析。在几乎每一项比较中，安布罗西亚湖牛组织和环境样本中的放射性核素平均水平都高于各自的对照样本。肝脏和肾脏组织中的226Ra和210Po含量尤其升高。计算了食用含有这些放射性核素浓度的牛组织所产生的辐射剂量承诺。我们得出结论，除非摄入大量这种组织，特别是肝脏和肾脏，否则食用受污染牛肉对公众健康造成的风险极小。
