Metabolism of americium-241 in dairy animals. [Cows and goats]

Technical Report · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6776026· OSTI ID:6776026

Sutton, W. W.; Patzer, R. G.; Mullen, A. A.; Hahn, P. B.; Potter, G. D.

Groups of lactating cows and goats were used to examine americium-241 metabolism in dairy animals. Following either single oral or intravenous nuclide doses, samples of milk, urine, blood, and feces were taken over a 168-hr collection period and the americium concentrations were determined by gamma counting. Gastrointestinal uptake of americium by both cows and goats was estimated to be 0.014% of the respective oral doses. The cumulative percentage of oral dose transported to milk and urine was 4.4 x 10/sup -4/ and 1.1 x 10/sup -3/ respectively for cows and 4.4 x 10/sup -3/ and 1.2 x 10/sup -3/ respectively for goats. The relatively high americium concentrations noted in caprine milk following the oral doses are discussed. Plasma concentrations of americium decreased rapidly following all intravenous injections. The average percentage of injected americium transferred to milk, urine, and feces was 3, 6, and 2% respectively for cows and 2, 4, and 2% respectively for goats. In both intravenously dosed groups, approximately 30% of all americium released from the body was found in the urine during the first 24 hrs after injection. All animals were sacrificed 8 to 9 days after dosing. Bovine bone retained the greatest fraction of the administered dose followed by the liver. However, liver retained the greatest amount of americium in the goats following both oral and intravenous doses. Comparisons are presented between americium-241 and plutonium-238 transport in dairy cows.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV (USA). Environmental Monitoring and Support Lab.
• OSTI ID: 6776026
• Report Number(s): EMSL-LV-0539-22
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560172* -- Radiation Effects-- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-- Animals-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CATTLE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COWS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FECES
FOOD
GLANDS
GOATS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INJECTION
INTAKE
INTESTINAL ABSORPTION
INTRAVENOUS INJECTION
ISOTOPES
LACTATION
LIVER
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
MILK
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORAL ADMINISTRATION
ORGANS
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RUMINANTS
SINGLE INTAKE
SKELETON
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
UPTAKE
URINE
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES