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Title:
URANIUM - PLUTONIUM TRANSPLUTONIC ELEMENTS
Author(s):
Subject Terms:
HREX; PLUTONIUM; TRANSPLUTONIC ELEMENTS; URANIUM
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Publication Date:
Declassification Status:
Never classified
Document Pages:
0015
Accession Number:
NV0701337
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 27
OpenNet Modified Date:
2017 Dec 21
Description/Abstract:
ITS (PLUTONIUM'S) GENERAL TOXICOLOGY IS THAT OF A "BONE-SEEKER" SUPERFICIALLY LIKE RADIUM, URANIUM, OR STRONTIUM BUT WITH MANY DIFFERENCES. BECAUSE OF ITS TENDENCY TO BA A "SURFACE SEEKER" RATHER THAN A "VOLUME SEEKER," IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN RADIUM ON AN ACTIVITY BASIS IN PRODUCING DAMAGE SUCH AS THE INDUCTION OF OSTEOGENIC SARCOMA. ALSO THE CONTRAST IN BEHAVIOR BETWEEN INHALED PLUTONIUM AND THAT ENTERING BY OTHER ROUTES IS SO LARGE THAT BONE MAY NOT BE A "CRITICAL ORGAN" UNDER CONDITIONS OF INHALATION EXPOSURE, AND THE COMPONENT OF DEPOSITION IN AND DAMAGE TO SOFT TISSUE IS MUCH LARGER THAN WITH RADIUM NO MATTER WHAT THE ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION. PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES OF MOST INTEREST IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE ARE MOSTLY ALPHA EMITTERS WHICH PUTS THEM IN A CLASS WITH MANY OTHER RADIONUCLIDES IN THAT EFFECTS OCCUR AT CONCENTRATIONS FAR BELOW THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH CONVENTIONAL "CHEMICAL" TOXICITY. THUS IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE RADIATION DOSE IS THE PRIME IF NOT THE ONLY CAUSE OF BIOLOGICAL EFFECT AND THAT THIS IS THE MORE LIKELY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALPHA PARTICLES.