Summary of iron-55 contamination in the environment and levels in humans.

Levels of iron-55 in the environment and in food sources have been summarized. The average body burdens and resulting doses to the erythrocytes (red blood cells) of selected Alaskan Eskimos, and residents of the States of Washington, New York, and New Jersey are compared. Considering the erythrocytes as the critical organ, the dose rate from 1 pCi iron-55/mg stable iron is 0.095 mrad/yr. A body burden of 8 nCi, the average for Richland, Wash. Residents, yields a yearly dose of 0.19 mrad, while 1,100 nCi, the average body burden for Eskimos on fish diets, yields a yearly dose of 26 mrad.