Results of 14 experiments on the air-forage-cow-milk transfer of iodine-131 are summarized and used to develop prediction models for dose to the thyroids of infants. The models are based on data from various types of nuclear tests together with data from controlled experiments using contaminating aerosols. This provides a realistic foundation for the predictions and for adjusting the predictions to correct for some types of forage. Equations developed from these studies can be used to predict within a factor of 2 the infinite dose to a 2-gram thyroid from a single contaminating event where cows continue to ingest contaminated forage and the subject drinks 0.7 liters of milk per day. This dose, in rads, is equal to 0.37 times the peak exposure rate measured 1 meter above ground, or 0.07 times the integrated air concentration. For wet deposition, it is suggested that the predicted doses be increased by a factor of 10. An equation for pre-test prediction is also developed. Short-lived radioiodines and inhalation during effluent passage have a definite effect on the predicted doses.

"June 1976." Includes bibliographical references (pages 35-38).