Biomaterials for the Decorporation of Sr-85 in the Rat
Although four stable isotopes of strontium occur naturally, strontium-90 is produced by nuclear fission and is present in surface soil around the world as a result of fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. It can easily transfer to man in the event of a nuclear/radiological emergency or through the plant-animal-human food chain causing long-term exposures. Strontium is chemically and biologically similar to calcium, and is incorporated primarily into bone following internal deposition. Alginic acid (alginate) obtained from seaweed (kelp) extract selectively binds ingested strontium in the GI tract blocking its systemic uptake and reducing distribution to bone in rats, while other natural polysaccharides including chitosan and hyaluronic acid had little in vivo affinity for strontium. Alginate exhibits the unique ability to discriminate between strontium and calcium and has been previously shown to reduce intestinal absorption and skeletal retention of strontium without changing calcium metabolism. In our studies, the effect of commercially available alginate on strontium intestinal absorption was examined. One problem associated with alginate treatment is its limited solubility and gel formation in water. The aqueous solubility of sodium alginate was improved in a sodium chloride/sodium bicarbonate electrolyte solution containing low molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG). Furthermore, oral administration of the combined alginate/electrolyte//PEG solution synergistically accelerated removal of internal strontium in rats when compared to treatment with individual sodium alginate/electrolyte or electrolyte/PEG solutions. Importantly, both alginate and PEG are nontoxic, readily available materials that can be easily administered orally in case of a national emergency when potentially large numbers of the population may require medical treatment for internal depositions. Our results suggest further studies to optimize in vivo decorporation performance of engineered alginate material via modification of its chemical and physicochemical properties is warranted.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 988631
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-68465; 400412000; TRN: US201018%%589
- Journal Information:
- Health Physics, 99(3):394-400, Vol. 99, Issue 3; ISSN 0017-9078
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ACID CARBONATES
ALGINIC ACID
CALCIUM
FOOD CHAINS
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
HYALURONIC ACID
IN VIVO
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS
POLYSACCHARIDES
SODIUM
STABLE ISOTOPES
STRONTIUM
STRONTIUM 85
STRONTIUM 90