Carcinogenicity of inhaled plutonium-238 in the rat
Three groups of female albino rata were exposed to an aerosol of soluble /sup 238/Pu derived from crushed /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ microspheres sus pended in physiological saline. Initial alveolar burdens of /sup 238/Pu were 5 nCi (Group I) 18 nCi (Group II) and 207 nCi (Group III). Only 1% of the initial alveolar lung burden remained in the lung at 1 year, decreasing to 0.3% by 600 days after exposure. The /sup 238/Pu body burden was 25% of iritial alveolar burden at 1 year, decreasing to 12% by 1000 days after exposure; about half of the body burden was found in the skeleton at these times. The cumulative radiation doses to the lung at 2 years after exposure were 9 rads (n, 32 rads (II), and 375 rads (III). Unexposed controls exhibited a median survival time of 825 days as compared to experimental survival times of 650 days (I) 675 days (II), and 550 days (III). The incidence of lung tumors in controls was 1.1% as compared to incidences in /sup 238/Pu-exposed rats of 6.6% (I) 20.0% (II), and 25.0% (III). The incidence of all tumors, other than mammary tumors, was 4.3% in unexposed controls, and in /sup 238/Pu-exposed rats, 26.7% (I) 36.8% (II), and 46.8% (III). (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-016051
- OSTI ID:
- 4355885
- Journal Information:
- Radiat. Res., v. 56, no. 3, pp. 540-553, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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