Chemical form of technetium in corn (Zea mays) and the gastrointestinal absorption of plant-incorporated Tc by laboratory rats

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6312023

Garten, Jr, C T; Myttenaere, C; Vandecasteele, C M; Kirchmann, R; Van Bruwaene, R

The food chain availability of technetium incorporated into plant tissue, its chemical form in corn leaves, and the potential for gastrointestinal absorption of plant-incorporated technetium was investigated. Technetium-95m was incorporated into corn leaves via root uptake. Chemical fractionation of the /sup 95m/Tc in leaves showed that 60% was extractable with boiling ethanol and weak mineral acids. The remainder was associated with cell walls and was extractable by harsh chemical treatment. Gel permeation chromatography of the cytosol, indicated that 50% of the /sup 95m/Tc co-chromatographed with anionic pertechnetate; however, it was impossible to distinguish if this pure pertechnetate or technetium complexed with organic molecules. Technetium-95m was administered to laboratory rats in a single dose as: (1) intravenous injection of pertechnetate, (2) pertechnetate mixed with standard laboratory food, and (3) a meal containing /sup 95m/Tc biologically incorporated into corn leaves. High concentrations of /sup 95m/Tc were found in the thyroids, hair, kidneys, and liver of rats. Technetium rapidly disappeared from the liver, kidneys, and other tissues, but remained in the thyroids and hair. Urinary excretion of technetium decreased, and fecal excretion increased when technetium was fed to rats as a /sup 95m/Tc incorporated into corn leaves. The percent of the administered dose absorbed into thyroid gland and the kidneys was less when technetium was biologically incorporated into corn leaves than when pertechnetate was mixed with food. Biological incorporation of technetium into plants appears to reduce its potential for food chain transfer by decreasing its availability for gastrointestinal absorption. 5 references, 4 figures, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Louvain Univ. (Belgium). Lab. de Physiologie Vegetale; Centre d'Etude de l'Energie Nucleaire, Mol (Belgium)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6312023
• Report Number(s): CONF-8410157-3; ON: DE85002319
• Resource Relation: Conference: Scientific seminar on the behavior of technetium in the environment, Cadarache, France, 23 Oct 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FOOD CHAINS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
TECHNETIUM 95
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
UPTAKE
EXCRETION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HAIR
ISOMERIC NUCLEI
KIDNEYS
LIVER
MAIZE
RATS
THYROID
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-PLUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CEREALS
CLEARANCE
DATA
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GLANDS
GRASS
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INFORMATION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PLANTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SKIN
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
VERTEBRATES
510300* - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)