Deposition of plutonium in the lung of a worker following an accidental inhalation exposure

Conference ·

OSTI ID:6886086

Spitz, H. B.; Robinson, B.

The deposition of PuO/sub 2/ in the lungs of an occupationally exposed worker is characterized by assay for plutonium in excreta samples and from in vivo measurements of /sup 241/Am in the thoracic region. Chelation therapy by intravenous injection of 1 gm Ca-DTPA was initially performed shortly after the incident and repeated using 0.5 gm of the chelate four additional times in subsequent days post intake. Analysis of the air sampler filter retrieved from the site of the exposure identified the isotopic composition and particle size of the plutonium material inhaled by the worker. Chelation with Ca-DTPA did not significantly reduce the magnitude of the lung or systemic deposition as determined from assay of plutonium in urine samples collected from the worker. In vivo measurements for /sup 241/Am verify the retention of the inhaled material in the lung and also indicate the ingrowth of an amount of /sup 241/Am as a daughter product of the /sup 241/Pu initially inhaled.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6886086
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-8105; CONF-791077-7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

054000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
560171 -- Radiation Effects-- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
AMINO ACIDS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHELATING AGENTS
CHEMOTHERAPY
CLEANING
CLEARANCE
CONTAMINATION
DECONTAMINATION
DRUGS
DTPA
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCRETION
HEAVY NUCLEI
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPES
LUNGS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PLUTONIUM 241
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
RETENTION
SKELETON
THERAPY
TRANSLOCATION
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES