Correlation between airborne U exposure and U urinalysis results at Bear Creek Uranium

Inhalation exposure history and U urinalysis data collected at Union Pacific Resources Company's Bear Creek Uranium milling operation, located in the Powder River Basin area of Wyoming, were studied to determine if a correlation could be made between airborne U exposure and U urinalysis results. It was observed from these data that U urinalysis results correlate with airborne U exposure levels when averaged over a period of time. The urinary U excretion rate, empirically derived from these data, was 1.8 X 10(-1) micrograms U in urine d-1 per micrograms U inhaled d-1 for samples collected after 2.9 d of no exposure.