Los Alamos Worker Exposed To Radiological Contamination
Associated Press
LOS ALAMOS — A decontamination team is cleaning the home of a Los Alamos National Laboratory worker who was exposed to a radiological contaminant while working at the northern New Mexico lab.
An investigation confirmed that contamination was present in the employee's workspace and on his clothing, the lab said in a statement issued Wednesday. A survey by the decontamination team also detected trace amounts of americium 241 in the worker's car and trace amounts inside his home.
Americium 241 is produced when plutonium atoms absorb neutrons in a nuclear reaction. The resulting metal is mostly used as a component in household and industrial smoke detectors.
Lab officials said they are investigating to determine the origin of the contamination and whether established safety procedures and protocols were followed.
"Our first concern is to ensure that every employee is safe and that the general public is protected,'' said lab director Robert Kuckuck. "We believe that this has been accomplished.''
The lab said tests are being conducted to determine how much americium is in the researcher's body. Five co-workers are also being tested.
Experts said the amount carried off site by the employee is a fraction of the radioactivity contained in a typical residential smoke detector. They added that the low levels of radioactive material found at the employee's home doesn't pose a risk.
Workers in the facility where the contamination occurred were sent home Tuesday afternoon so experts could complete radiological surveys of the area and clean up any residual contamination.
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