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THE ENTRY OF STRONTIUM-90 INTO HUMAN BONE

Journal Article · · Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), Ser. B

For 6 years human bones, mostly femora, were analyzed for strontium-90 by radiochemical methods and for natural strontium spectrographically. The mean concentrations relative to calcium (pc/g Ca and mu g/g Ca) are charted according to age. ln each year the peak value for Sr/sup 90/ was in juveniles aged 1 to 2 years; it increased progressively in 1956--59 and fell in 1960--61. Values for the newborn which are dependent on maternal plasma and on domicile of mother moved similarly with time. By contrast, values for bones of adolescents and adults increased progressively. The concentration was substantially uniform between bones in infants and children. In adults cancellous bones, especially vertebrae, gave higher concentration than ivory bones. The mean values for stable strontium for the sixyear period were approximates 200 mu g/g Ca from birth until 6 months of age; they then rose sharply in the next year and later more slowly to 330 mu g/g Ca in adults. It is deduced: that the discrimination between Ca and Sr across the human placenta is nearly twofold; that in the first year of the infant's life the discriminatory processes especially in absorption observed in the human adult are not fully developed; that by considering the specific activity (Sr/sup 90//mg Sr) of bone in children according to cohort, bone turnover must be nearly complete in each of the first few years of life whereas in adolescents accretion of new salt is the preponderant factor; and that in the adult where growth has ceased the relative annual rates of replacement of existing mineral by new mineral from diet vary about 2% for ivory bone to 8% for vertebrae. (auth)

Research Organization:
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Woolwich, Eng.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-18-013435
OSTI ID:
4094081
Journal Information:
Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), Ser. B, Journal Name: Proc. Roy. Soc. (London), Ser. B Vol. Vol: 159
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English

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