Bone tumors induced by inhalation of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ in dogs
Plutonium-238, an alpha-emitting radionuclide, is used as a heat source in thermoelectric power generators such as have been employed on lunar expeditions of communications satellites and in cardiac pacemakers. It has an 86.4 year half-life and emits 5.5 MeV alpha particles. Beagle dogs were given single 10 to 30 minute exposures to /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ aerosols to study the long-term translocation of plutonium and biologicl effects. Dogs with a terminal body burden ranging from 7 to 260 MuCi were euthanized due to respiratory insufficiency related to plutonium-induced pneumonitis during the first 3 years after exposure. Nine of the 11 dogs euthanized during the 4 to 6 year postexposure period had osteosarcomas. The terminal plutonium body burden in the tumor-bearing dogs ranged from 0.5 to 2.6 muCi with 30 to 55 percent of the plutonium in the skeleton. Experiments are in progress to further define the dose-effect relationship of inhaled /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ and investigate the mechanisms of plutonium-induced neoplasia.
- OSTI ID:
- 7082977
- Journal Information:
- Recent Results Cancer Res.; (United States), Vol. 54
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Inhaled /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ and/or total-body gamma radiation: Early mortality and morbidity in rats and dogs
Hematological responses after inhaling {sup 238}PuO{sub 2}: An extrapolation from beagle dogs to humans
Related Subjects
OSTEOSARCOMAS
RADIOINDUCTION
PLUTONIUM 238
CARCINOGENESIS
SKELETON
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
ALPHA PARTICLES
BEAGLES
INHALATION
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
DISEASES
DOGS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTAKE
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEI
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOISOTOPES
SARCOMAS
SKELETAL DISEASES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
560162* - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells