Two workers at the U.S. Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico have suffered skin contamination and might have inhaled plutonium-238, Energy Daily reported today (see GSN, July 23).

The incident occurred Aug. 5 as the workers were taking inventory of older plutonium cans at the Los Alamos facility.  The laboratory disclosed the situation Friday.

Officials said they have not yet discovered the source of the leak that caused the contamination, but plutonium-238 is so fine that even small defects in the plutonium containers could allow a release, Energy Daily reported.

Testing revealed contamination on the head of one worker and on the head, neck and shoulders of another worker.  Both also had nasal contamination, which indicates that they might have inhaled the plutonium (George Lobsenz, Energy Daily, Aug. 12).

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