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U.S. Atomic Tests in 50's Exposed
Millions to Risk
According to an article in the July 28th issue of The New York Times, atmospheric atomic tests conducted in Nevada between 1951 and 1962 may have exposed millions of American children to large amounts of radioactive iodine. The Times obtained this information from a draft report of a National Cancer Institute study that was begun in 1983. The NCI draft report states that during the 11 year period children in some states may have received a radiation dose as high as 160 rads, while the average dose to the population in other large areas of the United States averaged 2 rads. The main pathway for radioactive iodine exposure in children is through milk, which children typically consume in larger quantities than adults, especially in comparison to body weight. The human body delivers radioactive iodine to the thyroid, where it can cause the development of cancerous nodules.
Unfortunately, several data quality problems have prevented those who conducted the study from obtaining a comprehensive understanding of dose-response models for radioactive iodine uptake by the human thyroid. The amount of data is limited and the dose estimates are subject to a large degree of uncertainty. For example, radioactive iodine quickly decays and the amount found in cow's milk depends upon (among other factors) the time it takes milk to reach markets and be consumed. The twofold to fourfold increase in thyroid cancer among young adults between 1947 and 1971 may also have been caused by the extensive medical use of radiation to treat conditions like acne. There may be errors as the cancer institute attempts to reconstruct events that occurred decades ago. The article was written by Matthew Wald and appears on page A-10.
Tiny Particles, Big Dilemma
According to an article in the August 4th issue of Business Week, there is growing controversy about the effect of microscopic air particles (those smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) on human health. The controversy comes in the wake of the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency's July 16th announcement of tightened federal standards for ozone and air particles.
On one hand, several air pollution studies going back to 1974 found a statistically significant correlation between fine microscopic particles and deaths from heart disease, cancer, and several other afflictions. On the other hand, skeptics suggest other variables like age, humidity, or some cause that is yet to be discovered may contribute to the deaths.
Until more data are collected and more research is done on cause-and-effect between fine airborne particles and human disease, the EPA will take a cautious approach and implement new particulate rules. The article appears on page 82, and was written by John Carey.
Nothing's Lost and Gone Forever,
Says EPA, as Miners Dig for Paper
According to a July 29th report in The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has demanded that 71 Idaho mining companies hand over copies of every scrap of paper they produced since 1880. EPA officials say they are searching for longtime polluters of the Idaho Panhandle's Silver Valley mining region, which has been designated a federal Superfund site.
Executives of the mining companies are responding to the EPA's request by claiming it is "ridiculous." Meanwhile, the Journal reports that the Idaho State Historical Society would like to add whatever mining records that are "uncovered" to its collections. Written by Journal reporter Carolyn King, the article appears on page B1.