National Institute of Standards and Technology workers tainted by plutonium
By Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 07:28 p.m., June 27, 2008
Updated 12:23 a.m., June 28, 2008
Tests have revealed that some employees at the National Institute of Standards and Technology were contaminated by plutonium after a spill this month.
NIST officials announced late Friday that a "small number" of workers were shown to have internal plutonium exposure, but they didn't say how many. Officials said internal plutonium exposure can lead to cancer and that the individuals affected were undergoing treatment to remove the plutonium from their bodies.
"We are concerned for the health and safety of our personnel and deeply regret these results showing internal plutonium exposure," said James Turner, NIST deputy director.
Radiation from plutonium is weak but hazardous if ingested or inhaled.
The spill happened June 9 at NIST's Boulder campus, where a vial containing powder with about one-quarter of a gram of plutonium cracked and spilled.
After the spill, radiation was found in parts of NIST's Building 1 and two sinks. NIST officials also said trace amounts of the plutonium may have been washed into Boulder's sanitary-sewer system because researchers washed their hands after the spill. No adverse effects from the potential plutonium release into the wastewater system were found, according to acting interim City Manager Maureen Rait.
Officials also said Friday that three additional small spots of trace-level contamination were found Thursday in a NIST building other than where the spill happened and that the traces were found on items that belonged to someone who was at the lab after the accident and before it was reported.
Colorado Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Udall said a review of NIST's safety practices is needed.
"As far as I know, there was no protocol in place to deal with the spill," he said.
Gail Porter, a NIST spokeswoman, said the lab does have a radiation safety program in place.
Tara Trujillo, a Udall spokeswoman, said a congressional hearing is scheduled July 15.
Turner has said NIST will cooperate with Udall.
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