Identification of environmentally derived cesium-137 burdens in a worker population

During 1990, whole body measurements of a number of workers with little probability of onsite occupational exposure showed positive evidence of {sup 137}Cs. Further investigation revealed that many of these workers supplemented their diet with a significant portion of wild game, mainly deer and elk. To validate the assumption of an environmental source, donated samples of venison and other game were analyzed by gamma spectroscopy. Results ranged from less than 0.1 to almost 100 Bq kg{sup {minus}l} (0.003 to 2.7 nCi kg{sup {minus}1}) and showed a correlation with the habitat from which the game was taken. Venison samples obtained from the two workers with the highest body burdens showed the highest activity. A questionnaire is now used to identify workers with an elevated potential for environmental-intakes.