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Leaked Plutonium Within U.S. Limit, Laboratory Says
A trace amount of plutonium that might have escaped this month from a Federal and state rules allow the release of up to 0.0000002 microcuries of radiation per milliliter of plutonium-tainted wastewater, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where a vial containing 250 milligrams of powdered plutonium cracked on June 9. Radiation was later found contaminating various parts of one building, including two sinks connected to the sewer. The National Nuclear Security Administration found that 76 to 87 percent of the substance stayed in the room where the spill took place, largely in and around the cracked vial, according to the laboratory. "The maximum amount that likely could have been lost when a researcher washed his hands in the laboratory sink immediately after discovering the cracked vial is about 0.06 gram," said NIST spokeswoman Laura Ost in a statement. That is the equivalent of .00000014 microcuries per milliliter, which “means that any plutonium washed down the drain would have been below the legal limits,” she said. The investigation of the incident by the laboratory and other "The health and safety of our personnel and local communities is our top priority," said acting director James Turner. "The fact that this incident occurred is not acceptable. “We are actively investigating what happened and have enlisted the help of top radiation safety experts to review our procedures" (Howard Pankratz, Denver Post, June 24).
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