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hazard when done in moderation. It is likely that the hazard due to their 

 caloric content would exceed that due to their radioactivity. Other foods 

 have less radiotoxicity than Brazil nuts, but at the same time, are far 

 more radiotoxic than Farallon fish. Compared to the .008 pCi/kg of 

 measured plutonium in fish muscle, the following plutonium equivalents 

 (based upon radium content) are interesting: 



Peanut Butter 30,000pCi/kg 



Grapes 7,250 pCi/kg 



Peas 1,525 pCi/kg 



Carrots 1,525 pCi/kg 



Bread 750 pCi/kg 



Potatoes 300 pCi/kg 



Beef 200 pCi/kg 



Pork 200 pCi/kg 



Cheese, eggs 250 pCi/kg 

 Fish (average San Francisco diet) 65 pCi/kg 



Clearly, anyone reluctant to eat fish from the Farallons due to its 

 radioactive contamination would best be advised not to eat just about 

 anything else either! 



Use of Weapons Background as a Measure of Hazard 



A common tendency of those unfamiliar with environmental radioactivity is 

 to assume that weapons background levels of radioactivity represent a 

 significant health hazard. Thus it is used as a benchmark level for 

 cursory evaluation for levels of environmental contamination. 



The levels of radioactivity from weapons testing and the resultant hazard 

 on a worldwide average basis are so low compared to naturally occurring 

 radioactivity that extremely sensitive techniques (such as extensive 

 chemical preparation and alpha spectroscopy) must be used in order to even 

 detect its presence in the environment. It is only due to the fact that 

 radionuclides are detectable at extremely low levels (i.e. far, far below 

 levels of health hazard) that the evaluation of weapons background 

 contamination of the environment can be carried out. 



Since the levels of environmental contamination due to weapons testing are 

 extremely low compared to naturally occurring background radiation, it is 

 possible to have localized contamination at a dumpsite which exceeds 

 weapons background levels by many times, but which is still totally 

 insignificant compared to natural background levels. This is the case at 

 the Farallons, and thus it is improper to conclude that localized 

 contamination levels in excess of weapons background present a measurable 

 health hazard. 



