Mortality among Tennessee Eastman Corporation (TEC) uranium processing workers, 1943–2019

Abstract

Supplemental Table 1. Estimated cumulative lung dose (mGy and weighted-mGy) based on different assumptions of the four parameters used in the dose reconstruction process: AMAD, breathing rate, daily exposure time and uranium solubility. Computations made for the 26,650 workers employed 1943-1947 for at least 90 days and followed through 2019 for the 13,951 female and through 2018 for the 12,699 male workers.

Reconstructed lung doses for the million person study cohort of 26,650 Tennessee Eastman corporation workers employed between 1942 and 1947

“…A histogram of the committed lung doses of 13 951 female and 12 699 male workers employed at the TEC is shown in figure 3 . The doses in this figure were reported under the central, main analytic assumptions of an activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of 5 µ m, a Type M/S solubility of the particulate uranium in the lungs, and a 6 h workday [ 14 ]. A right-skewed distribution of committed lung doses was observed, where most workers received rather low lung doses associated with occupational inhalation, while a few workers received lung doses as high as 1048 mGy.…”

“…The significant dosimetric model parameters were varied as part of sensitivity analyses [ 14 ]. Increasing the AMAD from 5 to 10 µ m was associated with a two-fold decrease in lung dose.…”

“…Lung doses for 26 650 workers employed at the TEC between 1942 and 1947 for at least 90 d were estimated using the latest International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP) biokinetic and dosimetric models. Historical occupational records determined worker sex, position, start and end dates, estimated airborne uranium concentration, and enrichment levels [ 14 ]. While airborne concentration estimates were available for most workers, airborne uranium concentration levels were imputed when these data were unavailable.…”

“…The sensitivity analyses included particle size distributions ranging from 1 µ m to 10 µ m around a central estimate of 5 µ m. In addition, several assumptions of solubility were investigated including Type S, M and M/S as defined by recent ICRP recommendations. Finally, variations in breathing rates and workday duration were investigated as described in the epidemiologic study [ 14 ].…”

“…While in the body, uranium will chronically expose the tissue to high-LET radiation [ 13 ]. Therefore, expanding and updating the dose estimates of the TEC worker population is of particular significance because the workers were exposed to the high-LET lung irradiation [ 14 ]. The comprehensive dose reconstructions described herein have been utilized in a recent epidemiologic study of this population [ 14 ].…”