1976 Hanford americium exposure incident: histologic and autoradiographic observations on skin.

Examination of biopsies from exposed and relatively unexposed areas of the face revealed changes that were consistent with actinic elastic degeneration associated with solar exposure, except in areas in which sources of alpha radiation were detected in the upper dermis. In those areas, particles judged to be ion-exchange resin were found within a few macrophages and extracellularly among connective tissue fibers. Elastic fibers in those areas showed more advanced degenerative change than fibers not closely associated with heavy concentrations of alpha radiation.