Concentrations of uranium and thorium isotopes in uranium millers' and miners' tissues
The alpha-emitting isotopes of uranium and thorium were determined in the lungs of 14 former uranium miners and in soft tissues and bones of three miners and two millers. These radionuclides were also determined in soft tissues and bones of seven normal controls. The average concentrations in pCi/kg wet weight in 17 former miners' lungs are as follows: /sup 238/U, 75; /sup 234/U, 80; /sup 230/Th, 79. Concentrations of each nuclide ranged from 2 to 325 pCi/kg. The average ratio of /sup 238/U//sup 234/U was 0.92, ranging from 0.64 to 1.06. The mean ratio of /sup 230/Th//sup 234/U was 1.04, ranging from 0.33 to 3.54. The near equilibrium between /sup 230/Th and /sup 238,234/U indicates that the rate of elimination of uranium and thorium from lungs is the same in former uranium miners. The concentrations of /sup 234/U and /sup 238/U were highest in lung; however, the concentration of /sup 230/Th in bones was either higher than or comparable to its concentration in lung. The concentration ratios of /sup 230/Th//sup 234/U in bone of uranium miners and millers measured in our laboratory have been compared with results predicted by ICRP-30 metabolic models. These results indicate that the ICRP metabolic models for thorium and uranium were only marginally successful in predicting the ratio of /sup 230/Th//sup 234/U in bones, and that effective release rate of uranium from skeleton may be more rapid than predicted by the ICRP model. 9 figs., 21 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Utah Univ., Salt Lake City (USA). Radiobiology Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 5090285
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-4382; ON: TI86900088
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AEROSOLS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AUTOPSY
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COLLOIDS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISPERSIONS
DISTRIBUTION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GLANDS
HEART
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
KIDNEYS
LIVER
LUNGS
MINERS
MINES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MORTALITY
NUCLEI
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RADIOISOTOPES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SKELETON
SMOKES
SOLS
SPLEEN
THORIUM 228
THORIUM 230
THORIUM 232
THORIUM ISOTOPES
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TOBACCO SMOKES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
URANIUM 234
URANIUM 235
URANIUM 238
URANIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM MINES
VERTEBRAE
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES