Abstract
This paper reviews the methodology used in the execution and interpretation of animal studies (mostly conducted at NRPB) designed to provide guidance on limits of intake and the effectiveness of chest monitoring for persons exposed to various uranium, plutonium, americium, and thorium bearing dusts. The lung retention and transportability characteristics of the actinides in humans have been predicted by combining the absorption rates into blood calculated from the animal studies with particle transport rates from the alveolar region of the human lung. This approach is compatible with the application of the new ICRP respiratory tract model.
The results of the animal experiments demonstrate the diversity of the absorption rates for the different chemical forms of the actinides and their disparity from the default values proposed by ICRP for Type F, M, and S compounds in the absence of specific data. The predicted lung retention kinetics of the actinides in humans provide the basis for assessing the validity of chest monitoring; for this purpose the most recent ICRP values for doses per unit intake and deposition in the alveolar region of the lungs have been taken into account. The results show that for some dusts, the data can be interpreted with confidence, while for others the method is impracticable or has considerable uncertainty. Overall, the results support the ICRP recommendation that material specific information is to be preferred for setting limits on intake and interpreting monitoring data.
The paper concludes with suggestions for further work.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M.R. BAILEY, F.A. FRY, A.C. JAMES, J. Aerosol Sci., 4 (1985) 295.
M.R. BAILEY, W.G. KREYLING et al., J. Aerosol Sci., 20 (1989) 169.
M.R. BAILEY, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 26 (1989) 249.
B. BOECKER, R.G. THOMAS, J.K. SCOTT, Health Phys., 9 (1963) 165.
R.G. CUDDIHY, B.B. BOECKER, W.C. GRIFFITH, Biological implications of radionuclides released from nuclear industries, proceedings of an International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, Vienna: IAEA-SM237/40 (1979) 77.
M.D. DORRIAN, M.R. BAILEY, Particle size distributions of radioactive aerosols measured in workplaces. Chilton: National Radiological Protection Board, NRPB Report (in press).
M. ELLENDER, Human Toxicol., 6 (1987) 479.
S.A. GRAY, G.N. STRADLING, J.C. MOODY, M.J. PEARCE, A. HODGSON, M. ELLENDER, Biokinetics of thorium in the rat after administration as nitrate; implications for human exposure. Chilton: National Radiological Protection Board, Report NRPB-M281, 1991.
W.C. GRIFFITH, R.G. CUDDIHY, B.B. BOECKER, R.A. GUILMETTE, M.A. MEDINSKY, J.A. MEWHINNEY, Health Phys., 45 (1983) 233.
J.D. HARRISON, H. SMITH, A.J. DAVID, Sci. Total Environ., 68 (1988) 187.
A. HODGSON, J.C. MOODY, G.N. STRADLING M.R. BAILEY, J.W. STATHER, Exp. Pathol., 37 (1989) 72.
International Commission on Radiological Protection. Limits for intakes of radionuclides by workers. Oxford: Pergamon Press, ICRP Publication 30, Part 1, Ann. ICRP 2 (3/4), 1979.
International Commission on Radiological Protection. Individual monitoring for intakes of radionuclides by workers: Design and interpretation. Oxford: Pergamon Press, ICRP Publication 54; Ann. ICRP 19 (1–3), 1988.
International Commission on Radiological Protection. 1990 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Oxford: Pergamon Press, ICRP Publication 60; Ann. ICRP 2 (1–3), 1991.
International Commission on Radiological Protection. Human respiratory tract model for radiological protection. Oxford: Pergamon Press, ICRP Publication 66; Ann. ICRP 24 (1–3), 1994a.
International Commission on Radiological Protection. Dose coefficients for intakes of radionuclides by workers based on the 1990 recommendations and on the 1994 respiratory tract model; revision of ICRP Publication 61. Oxford: Pergamon Press, ICRP Publication 68; Ann. ICRP 24 (4), 1994b.
N.S. JARVIS, A. BIRCHALL, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., (in press).
R.C. LANE, W.B. MCCORMICK, S.J. JEFFERIES, P. DANYLUK, Use of six-element arrays of hyperpure germanium detectors in monitoring for internal actinide contamination, proceedings of an International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, Vienna: IAEA-SM-276/24, (1985), 79.
J.D. MOODY, G.N. STRADLING, S.A. GRAY, J. Aerosol Sci., 22, Suppl. 1 (1991) 805.
J.C. MOODY, G.N. STRADLING, J. Aerosol Sci., 23, Suppl. 1 (1992) 523.
J.C. MOODY, G.N. STRADLING, A.R. BRITCHER, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., (in press), 1994a.
J.C. MOODY, C.P. DAVIES, G.N. STRADLING, Toxic and carcinogenic effects of solid particles, proceedings of an International Life Sciences Institute Conference, Washington DC: ILSI, 1994b, 611.
H.E. PALMER, G.A. RIEKSTS, Assessment of radioactive contamination in man, proceedings of an International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, Vienna: IAEA-SM-276/13, (1985) 93.
C. POMROY, H. MALM, Assessment of radioactive contamination in man, proceedings of an International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, Vienna: IAEA-SM-276/49, (1985) 69.
H. SMITH, G.N. STRADLING, B.W. LOVELESS, G.J. HAM, Health Phys., 33 (1977) 539.
J.W. STATHER, A.C. JAMES, J. BRIGHTWELL, P. RODWELL, Biological implications of radionuclides released from nuclear industries, proceedings of an International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, Vienna: IAEA-SM-237/5, (1979) 3.
G.N. STRADLING, B.W. LOVELESS, G.J. HAM, H. SMITH, Health Phys., 35 (1978a) 229.
G.N. STRADLING, G.J. HAM, H. SMITH, J. COOPER, S.E. BREADMORE, Int. J. Radiat. Biol., 34 (1978b) 37.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, M. ELLENDER, S.A. SUMNER, J.C. MOODY C.G. TOWNDROW, A. HODGSON, D. SEDGWICK, N. COOKE, Human Toxicol., 4 (1985a) 563.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, J.C. STRONG, S.A. SUMNER, C.G. TOWNDROW, A. LENNOX, D. SEDGWICK, N. COOKE, Human Toxicol., 4 (1985b) 159.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. SUMNER, J.C. MOODY, A. HODGSON, Health Phys., 49 (1985c) 499.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, M. ELLENDER, A. HODGSON, D. SEDGWICK, N. COOKE, Human Toxicol., 6 (1987a) 385.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, M.R. BAILEY, A. HODGSON, C. COLLIER, Human Toxicol., 6 (1987b) 365.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, A. HODGSON, D. SEDGWICK, N. COOKE, Human Toxicol., 7 (1988) 133.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, A. HODGSON, Exp. Pathol., 37 (1989a) 76.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, A. PRICE, N. COOKE, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 26 (1989b) 83.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, Health Phys., 57 (1989c) 221.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, M. ELLENDER, C.G. COLLIER, Radiat. Prot. Dosim., 26 (1989d) 201.
G.N. STRADLING, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, M. ELLENDER, M. PEARCE, Biokinetics of thorium in the presence of a highly transportable form of uranium. Chilton: National Radiological Protection Board, Report NRPB-M280, 1991.
G.N. STRADLING, J.W. STATHER, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, M. ELLENDER, J.M. PEARCE, C.G. COLLIER, Health Phys., 63 (1992a) 641.
G.N. STRADLING, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, M. ELLENDER, A. HODGSON, G.P.L. NAYLOR, Occupation Radiation Protection. London: The British Nuclear Energy Society, (1992b) 299.
G.N. STRADLING, S.A. GRAY, J.C. MOODY, A. HODGSON, M. ELLENDER, A.W. PHIPPS, M.J. PEARCE, I.M. WILSON, C.E. IRANZO, P. RIVAS, A. ESPINOSA, A. ARAGON, E. IRANZO, Biokinetics of239Pu and241Am in the rat after the pulmonary deposition of contaminated dust obtained from soil samples at Palomares. Chilton: National Radiological Protection Board, Report NRPB-M444, 1993a.
G.N. STRADLING, C.P. DAVIES, J.C. MOODY, S.A. GRAY, I. WILSON, M. ELLENDER, Biokinetics of thorium and daughter radionuclides after deposition as fluoride and hydroxide in the rat lung, Chilton: National Radiological Protection Board, Report NRPB-M435, 1993b.
R. TOOHEY, E. PALMER, L. ANDERSON, C. BENGER, N. COHEN, G. EISELE, B. WACHHOLZ, W. BURR, Health Phys., 60, Suppl. 1 (1991) 7.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stradling, G.N., Moody, J.C. Use of animal studies for assessing intakes of inhaled actinide-bearing dusts. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 197, 309–329 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02036008
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02036008