Survival, causes of death, and estimated tissue doses in a group of human beings injected with plutonium

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:4136654

Rowland, R E; Durbin, P W

To determine the relationship between urinary excretion and plutonium body content, 18 persons of short life expectancy were injected with plutonium between 1945 and 1947. Seventeen of these 18 individuals have been identified; eight were found to have survived for at least eight years and four are still alive today (1975). The causes of death of 13 of these individuals have been determined from death certificates; none appear to be related to the administered plutonium. Doses to the liver and to the cells on the surface of bone have been calculated for these plutonium cases. The liver doses do not appear to be high enough to be carcinogenic, but comparison of the bone-surface doses with radium doses that have induced bone tumors indicates that six of these cases have received doses high enough to be considered carcinogenic. However, no bone tumors have yet appeared. (auth)

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-10-ENG-38
• NSA Number: NSA-33-003271
• OSTI ID: 4136654
• Report Number(s): CONF-751043-2
• Resource Relation: Conference: Workshop on the biological effects and toxicity of Pu 239 and Ra 226, Sun Valley, Idaho, USA, 6 Oct 1975; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

N48610* -Life Sciences-Radionuclide Effects (Internal Source)-Man
560161* -Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies-Radiation Effects-Radionuclide Effects-Internal Source-Man
*LIVER- RADIATION DOSES
*PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES- EXCRETION
*RADIUM ISOTOPES- BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
*SKELETON- RADIATION DOSES
MAN
NEOPLASMS
SURVIVAL TIME