USA: Leucemia e cancro a Portsmouth dove si fabbrica il DU (4 febbraio)

Just located this mention of leukemia with Portsmouth GDP workers exposed to uranyl fluoride.
Has anyone seen the NIOSH study mentioned? I cannot locate it on the NIOSH homepage.

Peter


Independent Investigation of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
(May 2000)
Volume 1 - Past ES&H Practices
Appendix A - Historical Hazards

[...]
Chemical and Toxic Metal Hazards   p.83
[...]
Uranium radiation hazards are discussed above. As a heavy metal, uranium is toxic and can damage the kidney. Both the solubility and enrichment determine the toxic chemical effects. In 1987, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) completed a study to assess the risk of cancer mortality associated with exposure to uranium compounds at the Plant, particularly uranyl fluoride, the most prevalent compound of exposure interest. The study concluded that the workers at PORTS had experienced excess stomach cancer and excess cancer of the hematopoietic system, which included leukemia. However, the study also concluded that these excesses were not statistically significant, because they occurred in a group of workers who demonstrated less overall mortality than the U. S. population in general. (NIOSH is updating this study, and results are expected before the end of calendar year 2000.) Uranium chemical exposures have been monitored at PORTS since Plant startup. Routine bioassays were conducted as early as the 1950s, and air sampling was performed throughout the history of the Plant.


I have asked many times for the report but have never gotten it.  A couple of years ago NIOSH , come to the plant because the neutron exposures was not know to the workers or to NIOSH.   Even after I told them early into the study that we had Neutron exposures at the plant.  I would not trust the Routine Bioassay's or the Air Sampling that was taken either. The lab here was not a good one.  And testing of workers was never done before or after the job was finish.  Records here like other DOD plants were not keep well. One thing that is right we do have a lot of stomach cancer,leukemia, lung, and colon cancer.  I personally know of the cancers of my co-workers and friends.  Even Bob Alverez said that Portsmouth had many case of leukemia when he was in Glenn' s office.   I to would like to see the study that was up date I do have the earlier one.

Vina