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Study of human remains of nuclear workers

The effort studies the human remains, which includes organs, bones and ashes, for insights into how the body copes with radioactivity over many years.

U.S. Study Examines Lasting Effects of Radiation Poisoning, NTI: Global Security Newswire, Oct. 25, 2010 An ongoing U.S. research effort into the long-term effects on the human body of radiation contamination could aid in treating victims of a terrorist strike involving a radiological “dirty bomb,” the Washington state Tri-City Herald reported yesterday (see GSN, Oct. 21).

The U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries analyzes huge quantities of information acquired through the examination of human tissue and body parts of people exposed to radiation, often at their place of employment, according to former registries chief Anthony James.

The program is managed by the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and financed by the U.S. Energy Department. A trove of physical remains from people who experienced heavy radiation contamination was has been gathered together from far-flung Energy Department sites and brought to Richland, Wash. Many of the donated remains came from former U.S. nuclear weapons personnel.

The effort studies the human remains, which includes organs, bones and ashes, for insights into how the body copes with radioactivity over many years.

Information from the registries can be studied in comparison to the systems created by scientists to postulate the effects of radiation contamination on humans. Data could also be utilized to judge the utility of medical treatments (Annette Carey, Tri-City Herald, Oct. 24).

NTI: Global Security Newswire – U.S. Study Examines Lasting Effects of Radiation Poisoning

October 26, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, radiation, radioactive, uranium