Distribution of /sup 239/Pu and /sup 241/Am in the human skeleton
The /sup 241/Am and /sup 239/Pu distribution in the skeletons of two former nuclear workers has been measured. The skeletons of both individuals appear to be within normal limits for Caucasian men about 50 y old. Both had lower limb bones that were heavier than the age controls and Case I had upper-body bones that were lighter than the age control group. The distribution of americium in the skeleton of Case I, 25 years post exposure, indicated that a more rapid turnover of initially deposited americium on the bone surfaces of cancellous bone, as compared to that deposited on the bone surfaces of compact bone, had occurred. This resulted in a larger proportion of americium located in the compact bone of the extremities and a lesser quantity in the more cancellous bones of the vertebral column, pelvis and rib cage. A similar shift in the distribution of plutonium occurred in Case II in the 35 y since initial deposition, but at a slower rate than that for americium. The ratio of each actinide in the liver to that in the systemic system (liver content/systemic system content) was 0.065 and 0.436, for americium and plutonium, respectively, suggesting that a much more rapid turnover of americium in the liver, compared to plutonium, provided a much larger fraction of that nuclide for circulatory feedback to the remodeling skeletal system. 8 references, 3 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); United States Transuranium Registry, Richland, WA
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5960149
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-85-732; CONF-8410161-5; ON: DE85007637; TRN: 85-008109
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 18. European symposium on calcified tissue, Angers, France, 11 Oct 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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EXPERIMENTAL DATA
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PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PRIMATES
RADIOISOTOPES
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