Rutherford cancer scare labs closed

The University of Manchester has closed the laboratories at the centre of a cancer scare in response to fears of dangerous mercury levels.

The offices, which were previously home to the scientist Ernest Rutherford, a pioneer of modern nuclear physics, were suddenly closed at the beginning of the month.

A spokesperson for the University stated: “Two rooms have been vacated to enable investigation and remediation work to be undertaken, and four members of staff have been temporarily relocated as a result. Measurements in one of the rooms have indicated the likely presence of mercury under the floor.”

It is alleged that 100-year-old radioactive material left over from Rutherford’s experiments may mean that the offices are still contaminated with radiation from polonium, radon and mercury.

Professor Tom Whiston, 70, is the latest former occupant of the offices to develop pancreatic cancer. Two of his colleagues, Dr Hugh Wagner, who died in 2007 and Dr Arthur Reader, who died last year aged 69, also died of pancreatic cancer. In addition, their colleague Dr John Clark developed a terminal brain tumor in 1992.

In 1999, the rooms near Rutherford’s former offices were discovered to be contaminated with nuclear materials and mercury. The staff who worked there did not find out until 2001 – and then only by chance, when one of them found that his office had been labelled a radiation hazard zone.

A report written in June 2008 by academics at Manchester officially raised fears about the link between the radiation levels in the offices and the deaths of their colleagues. The report stated: “The contamination may have contributed to the deaths of our colleagues.”

The report also suggested that the university had suspected as early as the 1970’s that radiation levels in the building were too high, but continued to allow academics to use the Rutherford Building.

The widow of psychologist Dr Hugh Wagner has previously discussed suing the university for negligence due to their failure to act on, or even admit, their knowledge of the contamination.

In October 2008, a spokesman for the university stated: “It is important to stress that we do not believe there to be any risk to current occupants of the Rutherford Building. It was surveyed by an independent specialist company as part of the refurbishment in 2006 and some minor contamination—below levels reportable to the Health and Safety Executive—were found in a limited number of locations. This was removed by specialist contractors and the building was re-surveyed prior to the move into the building of its current occupants.”

They continued: “We believe the evidence presented to date does not support a connection between the deaths of former staff and possible exposure to radioactive contamination.”

However, the university’s sudden decision last month to evacuate the offices has renewed health concerns for those who worked in or around the building. Despite the decision to evacuate after discovering mercury residue, a spokesperson for the university asserted: “It is important to stress that these levels were well below the legal workplace exposure limits.”

The University of Manchester has asked Professor David Coggon, an expert in the epidemiology of occupational and environmental causes of disease who runs the faculty of occupational medicine at Southampton University, to investigate further. Coggon stated: “The evidence so far does not indicate high risk of exposure.”

He referred to the three cases of pancreatic cancer as “an anomaly” rather than an indication that the disease was a direct result of radiation exposure. He continued: “Pancreatic cancer is not a disease you would expect as a consequence of the exposure. For exposure to radon, you would expect lung cancer, and for mercury, kidney disease."

However, the department’s own report from 2008 cites scientific studies which indicate “a possible association between pancreatic cancer and cumulative exposure to radon”.

Coggon says he will not rule out any connection at this stage, stating: “I have not closed my mind on it."

The completed report is expected by the end of the year.