106867 Covering letter stating inclosure is a submission for continuing asistan? ce for the next fiscal year (October 1976'to September 30 l977) TITLE PROYECTO INDALO. Following of the effects of the accident at Palomares, Spain, from l966. i. - INTRODUCTION. Two nuclear weapons accidentally dropped from a burning 8?52 went I into one?part disruptive explosion spreading Pu over areas of farm land and houses at Palomares, located close to the sea in the province Almeria, South -East of Spain. Joint clean up by United States Air forces and Junta de Energia Nu- czlear was made by removal of most contaminated soil, deep plowed and Hal?Q Wetted and fields restored. Wright Langham helped us to set up a surveillance program which had 33.5 formalized under the Otero?Hall agreement signed in Madrid in March Ilse. The agreement covers surveillance and sampling of air, soils, vege? l'7 Folder Palomar? 5/93 ll US DOE ARCHIVES 326 US. ATOMIC ENERGY tion and the people who lived in Palomares at the time. Lately people Collection 1305 mdgraw Box 0 were not closely affected by the burst have requested and been su? pplied with the personal surveillance and monitoring afforded those most affected. The procedures in the Agreement which have been carried out with the support of the A include counting equipment, alpha spectrometers, whole body and lung counters and miscellaneous special supplies. Be? cause of the naturally high alpha background of the area alpha spectrome- try is required and the rate ofcarrying out the chemical and radiometric analyses of samples has been correSpondingly slow. The lung counter has not functioned in a r?eliable manner until recently, _t Mr Phil Dean has been'ofgreat assistance here. Urine specimens from the 78 people mostaffected have therefore served for the best estimate of whole body content of 23gF?u . We have hoped to get data from the lung counter the would certify or agree with the urine data and viceversa but this still has not been achieved (see below). For obivious reasons the people have to be brought from Palomares to counter which is situated on the grounds of the Centro de Energia Nuclear "Juan Vigon" adjacent to the Medical and Health Physics Building. This is the most expensive part of the surveillance, but estimates of personnel can tamination are the most important in our view. Unfortunaly they have not been obtained definitively as yet. We recognize that counting accurately in the range of less than 16 nanocurie of 239:,Pu is close to the limit of the technique. With Mr. Dean?s help we hope to achieve this realiability. Without the chest counts we have no way of estimating wether the peoplf living as farmers on the. low contaminated soil have inhaled resuspended on agricultural dust or otherwise. - 120E ascmvas By other way we should like to note that many of these people show lung counting rates that are of low reliability and we are caught in the logic of selecting the count of one person as beeing reliable and that of another not when both live under similar circunstances. We wish to be assured of the reliability of their lung counting procedures or else put our confidence so lely on urinary excretion as the criterion for their internal contamination. -3- . i. SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESULTS. AIR A network of aerosoles sampling was set up in order to discover what possibilities there might be of internal contamination of the people who live in the zone and cultivate the fields, as an isolated or related consequence of the ploughing operations on the ground and the climatological characte- ristics of the zone, especially those related to the low rainfall and pre- vailing winds. The airborne sampling was stablished in June 1966. This network consisted of four sampling stations, and two for the study of the speed and direction of the winds. The samples stations were situated in the plac1es nominated 8-1, 8?2, and which respectively corres- pond to the zones where the two fragmented bombs fell, 1and one point at the urban centre of Palomares. Those for measuring the characteristics of the winds were situated at and P. In each one of these stations, at a height of l. 70 m, continuous 24-hour samples are taken, with a volume of approximately 95 m3, every day of the year, on membrane. filter paper. The samples are prepared for sending to the laboratories of the Medicine and Protection Division of JEN, where in principle, a minimum of one week after they were taken, a count was made of the total alfa activity due to ra- dioactive elementswith along half life. In September .1969 the network was reduced to the sampling Stations 5?2 and and to the meteorol09ical station P. A. DUI: moist/Es The following conclusions may be drawn from the analysis of the results - The elimination of the radionuclides contaminating the surface layer of soil and their dilution in the subsoil to a depth of 25 cm. has proven effective in reducing the mean values for radionuclide con? centration in the air to levels consistently below the permissible maxima. During the first years on very few occasions was the daily concen- tration of radionuclides in the air higher than the maximun permi- 3? ssible value, and on all of those occasions, the wind velocity fluc- tuated between 17 and 64 km/hr. - The combined action of the weather conditions and farming of the soil have resulted in the resuspension of particles of plutonium and uranium oxides in the air, although the concentration of the?' se r?adionuclides in the air has consistently remained well below the maximum permissible concentrations 'for these elements, in the insoluble form in which they are found in the area of the accident. 1 The incidence of the presence of uranium in the air was higher than that plutonium for 30% of the samples analyzed showed no trace of plutonium as compared with 30% which contained no uranium. In the zone containing the town, the airborne concentrations of plutonium and uranium have remained far below the ones in other areas where larger. concentrations of these elements were mixed into the soil to a depth of 25 cm. D323 The values for 1967 were lower than the ones for 1966, with the exception of the concentration of plutonium ?239 in area 2-2, which increased significantly in 1967. From 1969 the con- centrations were decreasing and in the last years and from time . . . -16 to time some samples give results In the order of 10 )JCi/cmS . Most of the samples are giving results which are under the detec? -17 tion limit, wich is 5 x10 The contamination of the soil surface was not homogeneous . . In or- der to determine the degree of distribution, and what this distribu- tion was on the surface, as well as its depth after the operations of decontamination, and those planned to eliminate surface contami- nation in areas required a'study was planned in order to find out which these were and to permit us, as years go by to discover the dynamics of plutonium-239 in cultivated land, both as regards its dynamics parameters and those introduced by tilling and culti- vation methods. For this purpose, six areas were chosen of 50 m2 each, two from each of the 3 zones into which the total contaminated area was divi- ded, corresponding to the two areas where the bombs felt and broke. These areas were chosen in places which had remained most contami- nated after the removal of a layer of earth on the areas which had con- taminations higher than 700. 000 d. p. m. /100 cm2. Those in zones 2 -. and 3 comprise areas where total alfa contaminations were found to be between 700. 000 d.p. m. cm2; area 2-1 belongs to apart where the upper layer of earth was also removed during decontamina- tion operations. The areas in zone 5 showed contaminations of the or- der of 70.000 7. 000 d. p. m. /100 cm2. DOE ARCHIVES In order to find the average bacground of total alfa activity on the ground of the zone, two similar areas were chosen, with similar geo- logical characteristics and situated at? i. 000 m. and 7. 000 respectively 5? from the zero line of the contaminated zone. In each of the areas, and in accordance with its diagonals, during the first year, 1966, nine samples were taken which were divided into fragments, corresponding to depths of 0-5, 5?15,?15?25, 25-35 and 35?45 cm. Of the homogenised samples corresponding to each fragment, two fractions of O. 50 gm. were taken, which were submitted to chemical treatment and alfa counting, in order to determine the total alfa activity. Same type of samples have been taking during 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1976 at points in the same areas and following a preplanned dis-r tribution order in order to obtain complete knowledge of the dynamics of the contamination, as well as to deduce the contamination factors of the vegetable products which are cultivated in them. In 1969, 1972, 1973,. i1l . 1975 and 1976 it has been made a separate sampling of the surface of the soil. In these samples, we are determining the Pu-239 content by radioche- mica! separation and alpha spectrometry.' From the results obtained so far it may be deduced: In 1966 in zone 2?1 where a 5 cm; layer of soil was removed, the remaining contamination was nil. During the following years it has beet found Pu-239 surface contamination transported maybe by winds or by rain water. Di}? 1933/71!? ??91.55 As a result of ploughing and breaking up of the ground, a distribu- tion of contaminating elements have been obtained to a depth of 30 cm. Generally highest contamination levels are found in layers between 15 and 25 cm. down. - The maximum average value of Pu-239 concentration found in the area: _3 .. studied is in the order of 6 10 picoCi/gr. -7- 4* The unhomogeneous distribution of the contaminating particles, even after the ploughing operationscarried out is perfectly clear from the values obtained as might logically have been expected . Even results from different samples from the same point and fragment, after the greatest homogeniSation possible in the laboratory, show quite a considerable dispersion. A I The work carried out with vegetables has tended to determine the possiqilities of their external contamination, as a consequence of their cultivation in contaminated and surrounding areas, and to the study of the plants? absorption capacity, and its settling on fruits and seeds. For the purpose, in each one of the areas previously mentioned, and in the places where the soil samples are taken, samples have been ta- ken of the existing crops. Not all the areas has been cultivated every year and for this reason it was not possible to take samples from some areas in some years. In area 'and given that it was" part of an un- cultivated plot, of which the upper layer of soil had been carefully i removed,making Sure-not to destroy the existing vegetation, the tomato plant samples were taken from nearby strips of cultivated land where the upper layer of soil had not been removed; the same type of sampling it has been made to get wild plants of the area. LRCHIVES From the alpha spectrometry results to determine the Pu-239 con- tents the following deductions could be made: The plants cultivated on contaminated soils shows a Pu?239 contamination. Tomatos, beans, barley and maize are the most cultivated vegetation in the area. Most of the contamiriation?by? Pu-239 has been in the plant itself and very little in the fruits and seeds. - The greatest degree of contamination found has been in wild plants (aspa- ragus, esparto grass iand other graminaceous plants) which grow in the proximity of the area 2?1 . The degree of contamination has been decreasing along the years in cultivat and wild plants. The last years the contamination by Pu?239 has been spor dic in th?i'cultivated plants. - Tomato plants cultivated in 1976 in the proximity of the point were the. bomb n9 2 fell down shows important Pei?239 contamination. PERSONS The study of the determination of possible internal contamination of the people of Palomares, both in the case of those who went there afterwards, and especially those who walked through contaminated areas during the first moments, was planned under the following two aspects- DOE ARCHIVES 1). Determination of the Plutonium-2.39 excreted in urine, in order to deter- mine the fraction which could have passed the pulmonary and limit. 2). Determination of the quantity of plutonium-239 present in the lungs. To obtain this information, after the analysis of plutonium?239 and total alfa activity in urine had been carried out soon after the accident, on the persons who at that time were considered those most likely to ha- ve been internally contaminated, a selection was made from the people of Palomares, with respect to the following considerations: 1). Situation nearest to the points of impact of the fractional bombs, ar the areas of greatest contamination' at the moment when the accident occurred, therefore with the greatest possibilities of inhaling the aerosol created in the conventional explosions. 2). - Stay in zones of highest contamination during the day of the acci- u1l dent and the following day. Residence, at the time of the accident and the days following it, in houses and areas of the town whereja higher contamination had been found, within the lower limits where contamination was produced in the town, as may be seen from the plan of the contaminated area. I Situation during the accident and following it, in houses and areas of the town where contamination was nil, so that they could serve as i controls, and at the same time we could find out with certainty wheth a mistake had been made in not considering evacuation of the people i that area as necessary in the operations of contamination limit fixing and decontamination. DOE ARCHIVES Taking the above factors into account, a total number of 100 persons re selected, of which 49 were males over 14 years, and 9 were fema under 14 years. WA ?lO- They were taken to Madrid for the said tests to be carried out in the laboratories of the Division de Proteccion Medicina de la Junta de Energia Nuclear. They first underwent a complete medical examination, in order to find out their state of health and take it into account in the st dy and subsequent epidemiological control. In order to determine the concentration of plutonium?239 excreted in urine, three complete 24?hour samples of urine were taken from each one of the said persona, on three consecutive days. These samples weri submitted to a chemical treatment in order to determine the content of th raid by ails. spectrometry, on the final electrodeposit following a separation by ion exchange resins. til The result of this analysis showed that in 7] per cent of cases there was no indication of the existence of plutonium?239, 18 per cent showed in some analyses, contents of less than, 0. disintegrations per minute in the urine of 24 hours, 9 per cent showed contents of between 0. 2 and disintegrations per minute over 24 hours and finally, 2 per cent show: a content of between'the urine of 24 hours. Bearing in mind what these values represent on the alfa spectrum corre ponding to the measurements taken, we have taken a delibe- rately pessimistic view, although in aimos all'cases they could be consi dered negative. DOE ARCHIVES BEST AVAILABLE COPY in order to determine the pulmonary content of plutonium-239, measu rements were taken on all the previously?mentioned persons, with prep: tional pulmonary counters, considering the region between 10 Kev?28 l4 ,where the XL. rays of uranium are found abundance of 4% por desintegration .These counters consist of two gas flow preportional chambers, with a capacity of 14 litres and a sens tive detection surface of i7. 4 30. 1 cm each, which work with a mixtu: of argon and methane and which have been designed in the Los Alamos National Laboratory? b5? Mf?. P. Dean . The calibration of the said chambers was effected with a point source of plutonium?239 and two sheets of metyl metacrylate 2. 54 cm thick to simulate the tissue of the thorax. Taking into account the background of the chambers, the counting time and their efficiency, it was found that the minimum detectable valw -9 of plutonium-239 was 40 10 Ci. in the test made under these condi? tions, all the values obtained were on the Order of background. in consequence of the tecnological developing in the field of whole be: and lung counters a new scintillation equipment designed by Mr. P. Dear sustituted the gas flow preportional chambers to determine the pulmona- ry content of plutonium-439. To determine the lung contamination in per sons with the new equipment and to determine the concentration of plu- tonium?239 excreted in urine,'57 persons from Palomares were taken to Madrid in 1974?1975. Because the results obtained were not of much confidence due to the conditions of the lung counter equipment some arr gements were made. In 1976 again 132 persons have been taken to Madr I From the results obtained so far we can do the following considerati BEST AVAILABLE copy DOE Meir-"ms Few urine samples have given plutonium?239 content. ?Several people lookslike they have plutonium-239 contamination in the lungs. - There is not a close relation between urine contamination and lung co ting. -12- In no person has been obtained a very clear and definitive peak in the region of 16 to determine a high contaminationconditions 'to formulate a statement about this very important question. CROMOSOMIC ANALYSIS Every persons from Palomares wich is submited to personal monitoring it is submited to medical and clinical examination. Furthemore of the usual analysis we make a cromosomic analysis. So far it has been made this type of analysis to 123 persona and we are investigat the results. BEST AVAILABLE COPY DOE ARCHIVES 3. - PLANS FOR FIRST OCTOBER 1976 to SEPTEMBER 30, .1977 l. Send Dr de los Santos to visit the counting eQUipment and analit laboratories at the "Health and Safety Laboratory", at "Lawren- Livermore Laboratory and at ?Los Al amos scientific Laboratc . Dr de los Santos speaks English writte well and is incharge oft lungs counting procedures. 2. - Continue to sample the air, vegetation and surface soil as befor Ii! 3. - Surface monitoring of all the area. 4. - Continue to bring peop'le from Palomares for whole body and lun counting plutonium-239 urine extretion determination, medical examination and clinical and cromosomic analysis. I BEST AVAILABLE COPY The people who live there, about 1500, have become more sophi: cated about what occurred and some hundreds have asked to be I ted over and above the 78 peOple that were in the original sampl We are at a loss to say no to them under the circunstlanceS. p012 ARCHIVES F. 39 this we propose to gather all our data with the pro: pect of interpreting them and puting them in aiform suitable for blication. We propose to write an overrall summary first statin the plan of the data collection relating to the contaminating ever giving the results with reference to the methodologies. The obs vations on the air and water, soil, vegetation and the inhabitan' could be treated in separate paper as there are much data in ea collection that should be mentioned. We also want to make very clear the limitations of our data, the importance of the background from alpha emitters and the confidence that we place in the work. We wish to take every precaution against being misquoted or love? ring the data used out context. On that basis we will propose whether the program shall be conti- nued or modified. 6. The development of leukemia in two persons, children in the time of the accident (who may or may not have been contaminated) sugges atqthis point the possible need for some kind of a medical surveillan ce of the population to keep a watch for diseasesor deaths that may occur over the next 10 years or so. We shall be looking for unusua diseases or abnormal frequency of a disease. The problem of contr: data here is difficult because Spain dies not have a cause of dead reporting system. It would not be adyisable to attempt anIepidemiolo 'gical study because the people in Palomares would not cooperate ma be. . BEST AVAILABLE COPY i 7. Dr. E. lranzo will go to USA to discuss all the results obtained sol DOE ARCHIVES -15- BUDGET The cost of all the work made for Proyecto Inclan during 1976 has been the following: People and installations at Palomares . . . . . . . . . Soils and vegetation sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trips for conversations and inspections at Palomares by the responsibles of the Program . . Airborne, soil vegetation and urine analysis for plutonium [determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traveling cost for people from Palomares (l0. 333/person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical, clinical and cromosomic analysis) for people from Palomares (20. BBS/person Lung and whole body counting 777/person 578' 840 Ptas/year 674 182 Ptas/year i 90 440 Ptas/year 2 962 876 Ptas/year 363 956 Ptas/year 2 756 820 Ptas /year 234 464 Ptas/year BEST AVAILABLE COPY. Total The amount we will need for October a 761 578 Ptas/year DC-E ARCHIVES 1976 to September l977 Will be higher because the increase in the price of everything including the salarie So we estimate that a budget of approximately 5 million of pesetas could be a good contribution from you because it represents about half of the tota cost. -15- NOTE In the last visit of Dr. H. D. Bruner he brought us the draft proposed limits for soil contamination?and we believe most of Palomares is within these limits except some spots and specially the area where bomb n9 2 fell down where it was impossible to clean the rocky surface and rains have washed the residue to the ttom of the notch between the low rocks. BEST AVAILABLE cow qt no}; ARCHIVES.