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Biokinetic modeling of uranium in man after injection and ingestion

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Abstract

Uranium is a naturally occurring primordial radioactive element. Small amounts found in air, water, and food are regularly consumed and inhaled by humans. Even the military, medical, and industrial use of depleted uranium can affect humans. There is an appreciable retention of incorporated uranium in skeleton, kidneys, and liver, and a review of respective effective dose coefficients has been given by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in its “Publication 69”; however, data regarding retention in organs or tissues and rates of urinary and fecal excretion for different age groups are incomplete. Therefore, the present study provides retention data that have been calculated for uranium in all compartments and for urinary and fecal excretion, following acute and chronic injection and ingestion for six age groups. The calculations are based on the current ICRP biokinetic model for uranium, and the data can be plotted by using any mathematical software to obtain the retention data at any time after incorporation or to calculate the internal average organ dose induced by uranium provided that specific absorbed fractions are available. The dynamic relationship of the retention in plasma and blood after intravenously and orally administered uranium can easily be derived from the database for injection and ingestion. The calculated contents of uranium in organs or tissues (using the uranium concentration in foodstuffs published by UNSCEAR for Europeans) are compared with autopsy data available in the literature. According to this model, the whole body of a 75-year-old man contains 7 μg uranium, of which 76% is in the skeleton, 1% in the kidneys, and 2.1% in the liver.

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  1. This file is available on request from wli@gsf.de

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Acknowledgements

This work was partly supported by EU Contract FIKR-CT2001-00164. Special thanks are due to Ms Roedler-Vogelsang for linguistic revision and for valuable comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. GSF–National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    Wei Bo Li, Paul Roth, Wolfgang Wahl, Uwe Oeh, Vera Höllriegl & Herwig G. Paretzke

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  1. Wei Bo Li
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  2. Paul Roth
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  3. Wolfgang Wahl
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  4. Uwe Oeh
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  5. Vera Höllriegl
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  6. Herwig G. Paretzke
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Correspondence to Wei Bo Li.

Appendix

Appendix

Let k3mo, k1y, k5y, k10y, k15y, and kadult be the transfer rates for different ages of an infant, 1-year-old, 5-year-old, 10-year-old, 15-year-old, and adult (≥25 years old), respectively. The transfer rates, kfrom age, change over time, t, after intake at different ages as follows:

$$ k_{{{\text{from}}\,{\text{birth}}}} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} ,}} & {{t = {\text{0}} - 90\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{1{\text{y}}}} - k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{1{\text{y}}}} - k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} )} {(365 - 90)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(365 - 90)}} \right]} \times (t - 90),}} & {{t = 90 - 365\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{1{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{5{\text{y}}}} - k_{{1{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{5{\text{y}}}} - k_{{1{\text{y}}}} )} {(1,825 - 365)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(1,825 - 365)}} \right]} \times (t - 365),}} & {{t = 365 - 1,825\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{5{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} {(3,650 - 1,825)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(3,650 - 1,825)}} \right]} \times (t - 1,825),}} & {{t = 1,825 - 3,650\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{10{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} {(5,475 - 3,650)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(5,475 - 3,650)}} \right]} \times (t - 3,650),}} & {{t = 3,650 - 5,475\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{15{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} {(9,125 - 5,475)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(9,125 - 5,475)}} \right]} \times (t - 5,475),}} & {{t = 5,475 - 9,125\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{{\text{adult}}}} ,}} & {{t \geq 9,125\,{\text{days}}}} \\ \end{array} } \right. $$
(2)
$$ k_{{{\text{from}}\,3{\text{mo}}}} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{1{\text{y}}}} - k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{1{\text{y}}}} - k_{{3{\text{mo}}}} )} {(275 - 0)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(275 - 0)}} \right]} \times (t - 0),}} & {{t = 0 - 275\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{1{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{5{\text{y}}}} - k_{{1{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{5{\text{y}}}} - k_{{1{\text{y}}}} )} {(1,735 - 275)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(1,735 - 275)}} \right]} \times (t - 275),}} & {{t = 275 - 1,735\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{5{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} {(3,560 - 1,735)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(3,560 - 1,735)}} \right]} \times (t - 1,735),}} & {{t = 1,735 - 3,560\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{10{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} {(5,385 - 3,560)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(5,385 - 3,560)}} \right]} \times (t - 3,560),}} & {{t = 3,560 - 5,385\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{15{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} {(9,035 - 5,385)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(9,035 - 5,385)}} \right]} \times (t - 5,385),}} & {{t = 5,385 - 9,035\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{{\text{adult}}}} ,}} & {{t \geq 9,035\,{\text{days}}}} \\ \end{array} } \right. $$
(3)
$$ k_{{{\text{from}}\,1{\text{y}}}} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{k_{{1{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{5{\text{y}}}} - k_{{1{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{5{\text{y}}}} - k_{{1{\text{y}}}} )} {(1,460 - 0)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(1,460 - 0)}} \right]} \times (t - 0),}} & {{t = 0 - 1,460\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{5{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} {(3,285 - 1,460)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(3,285 - 1,460)}} \right]} \times (t - 1,460),}} & {{t = 1,460 - 3,285\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{10{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} {(5,110 - 3,285)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(5,110 - 3,285)}} \right]} \times (t - 3,285),}} & {{t = 3,285 - 5,110\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{15{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} {(8,765 - 5,110)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(8,765 - 5,110)}} \right]} \times (t - 5,110),}} & {{t = 5,110 - 8,765\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{{\text{adult}}}} ,}} & {{t \geq 8,765\,{\text{days}}}} \\ \end{array} } \right. $$
(4)
$$ k_{{{\text{from}}\,5{\text{y}}}} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{k_{{5{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{10{\text{y}}}} - k_{{5{\text{y}}}} )} {(1,825 - 0)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(1,825 - 0)}} \right]} \times (t - 0),}} & {{t = 0 - 1,825\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{10{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} {(3,650 - 1,825)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(3,650 - 1,825)}} \right]} \times (t - 1,825),}} & {{t = 1,825 - 3,650\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{15{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} {(7,300 - 3,650)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(7,300 - 3,650)}} \right]} \times (t - 3,650),}} & {{t = 3,650 - 7,300\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{{\text{adult}}}} ,}} & {{t \geq 7,300\,{\text{days}}}} \\ \end{array} } \right. $$
(5)
$$ k_{{{\text{from}}\,10{\text{y}}}} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{k_{{10{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{15{\text{y}}}} - k_{{10{\text{y}}}} )} {(1,825 - 0)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(1,825 - 0)}} \right]} \times (t - 0),}} & {{t = 0 - 1825\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{15{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} {(5,475 - 1,825)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(5,475 - 1,825)}} \right]} \times (t - 1,825),}} & {{t = 1,825 - 5,475\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{{\text{adult}}}} ,}} & {{t \geq 5,475\,{\text{days}}}} \\ \end{array} } \right. $$
(6)
$$ k_{{{\text{from}}\,15{\text{y}}}} = \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {{k_{{15{\text{y}}}} + {\left[ {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(k_{{{\text{adult}}}} - k_{{15{\text{y}}}} )} {(3,650 - 0)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {(3,650 - 0)}} \right]} \times (t - 0),}} & {{t = 0 - 3,650\,{\text{days}}}} \\ {{k_{{{\text{adult}}}} ,}} & {{t \geq 3,650\,{\text{days}}}} \\ \end{array} } \right. $$
(7)
$$ k_{{\rm{from}}\,25{\rm{y}}} = \begin{array}{*{20}l} {k_{{\rm{adult}}} ,} & {t \ge 0\,{\rm{days}}} \\ \end{array} $$
(8)

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Li, W.B., Roth, P., Wahl, W. et al. Biokinetic modeling of uranium in man after injection and ingestion. Radiat Environ Biophys 44, 29–40 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-005-0272-0

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