Retention and elimination of berkelium-249--californium-249 following acute accidental inhalation

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:4384632

Rundo, J; Sedlet, J

Radiological and Environmental Research Division annual report, July l972-June 1973. A case of accidental inhalation of a small quantity of an ignited mixiure of /sup 249/Bk and its decay product, /sup 249/Cf, was studied by body radioactivity measurements (for /sup 249/Cf) and excretion analysis (for both nuclides). The results obtained thus far cover the first year after intake. External measurements of the gamma rays from the /sup 249/Cf indicated an approximate chest content of 3 nCi of this nuclide at the time of the first measurement (day 7). The 300-fold more abundant parent, /sup 249/Bk, could not be detected. Subsequent measurements of the activity of the /sup 249/Cf could be reasonably well described by the sum of two exponential components, 17% having a half-time of 25 days and the remainder a half-time of 1210 days. Except for an initial rapid clearance via the fuces during the first 10 days, the urinary and fecal excretion rates of both nuclides increased with time until a maximum was reached 60 to 70 days after intake and thereafter declined. If the early fecal excretion was neglected, the results could be reasonably well described as the difference between two exponential components, one with half-times of 15 to 30 days representing the initial increase and one with half-times between 90 and l20 days representing the subsequent decrease in excretion rate. The increase suggests some change in the inhaled material after intake, possibly an increase in its rate of dissolution. (authK

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-29-013047
• OSTI ID: 4384632
• Report Number(s): ANL--8060(Pt.2)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*BERKELIUM 249-- BIOLOGICAL HALF-LIFE
*CALIFORNIUM 249-- BIOLOGICAL HALF-LIFE
*PERSONNEL-- RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
EXCRETION
FECES
GAMMA SOURCES
INHALATION
N40130 --Chemistry--Analytical & Separations Chemistry--Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
N48710* --Life Sciences--Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology--Man
RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS
RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
RENAL CLEARANCE
SCINTISCANNING
SINGLE INTAKE
URINE
WHOLE-BODY COUNTING