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Exposure assessment for a cohort of workers at a former uranium processing facility

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 22, pages 324–330 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Exposure was assessed for a cohort of 6409 workers at a former uranium processing facility as part of a mortality study. Workers at the facility had potential for exposure to a wide variety of radiological and chemical agents including uranium, thorium, radon, external ionizing radiation, acid mists, asbestos, and various solvents. Organ dose from internal exposure to uranium was assessed, along with dose from external ionizing radiation and exposure to radon. Qualitative assessment of exposure to thorium, acid mists, asbestos, coal dust, welding fumes, and other chemicals was also performed. Mean cumulative organ dose from internal uranium exposure ranged from 1.1 mGy (lung) to 6.7 μGy (pancreas). Mean cumulative external ionizing radiation dose was 13.4 mGy. Mean cumulative radon exposure was 26 working level months (WLMs). The chemical agents to which the largest numbers of study subjects were exposed were acid mists, machining fluids, and a tributyl phosphate/kerosene mixture used in the refining process.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the faculty and students of the Department of Environmental Health of the University of Cincinnati for providing their location codes and radon exposure estimates. Funding for this study was provided through an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This study was made possible by the cooperation and support of the DOE and its employees and contractors.

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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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  1. Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies (DSHEFS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Jeri L Anderson, Robert D Daniels, Donald A Fleming & Chih-yu Tseng

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  1. Jeri L Anderson
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Correspondence to Jeri L Anderson.

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Anderson, J., Daniels, R., Fleming, D. et al. Exposure assessment for a cohort of workers at a former uranium processing facility. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 22, 324–330 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.20

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