Determination of $sup 210$Po in urine

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Health Phys., v. 29, no. 5, pp. 663-671

OSTI ID:4132838

Bale, W F; Helmkamp, R W; Hrynyzyn, V; Contreras, M A

To measure $sup 210$Po present in normal human urine a technique was developed in which a 4.5 x 11 cm silver foil was shaken at room temperature for 48-hr periods in each of two successive volumes of 1.7 l. of urine acidified to 0.5 N with HCl. Alpha rays were counted with an ionization chamber, coupled to a vibrating reed electrometer, and capable of measuring $alpha$-ray pulses originating on both sides of the silver foil serving as a central electrode. The background $alpha$-count was less than 2/hr. Analyses of human urine spiked with 0.29 to 0.58 pCi of $sup 210$Po, together with studies of urine from dogs carrying significant body burdens of $sup 210$Pb, indicated that the average recovery of added $sup 210$Po from 1.7 l. volumes of spiked human urine was 72 percent. If it is assumed that the same percentage of $sup 210$Po is extracted from non-spiked urine, then the average $sup 210$Po concentration found in 13 analyses of 2 x 1.7 l. samples from 26 different pools of fresh human urine was 0.023 pCi/l. Substantial additional $sup 210$Po was generated on short aging of the urine through radioactive decay of excreted $sup 210$Bi. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY
• NSA Number: NSA-33-009618
• OSTI ID: 4132838
• Journal Information: Health Phys., v. 29, no. 5, pp. 663-671, Journal Name: Health Phys., v. 29, no. 5, pp. 663-671; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

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