Erratum to: Problems in radiological protection involving α-emitters in bone

Abstract

Quantitative dose-effect relationships for humans exposed to α-emitters can only be established from data on humans exposed to this type of radiation. The risk of bone sarcoma from exposure to ²³⁹Pu may be established from the data on the human cases exposed to ²²⁶Ra either by consideration of the radiation dose to the osteoprogenitor cells or by use of the average bone dose together with a modifying factor to take into account the greater toxicity of plutonium relative to radium. The relative toxicity can be evaluated from the data on osteosarcoma incidence in animals. Both methods of risk estimation are given and criticised in the paper.

In future recommendations, ICRP will not use the critical organ concept and the late effects from α-emitters deposited in organs other than the bone will have to be taken into account in setting maximum permissible annual intakes. The implications of this and other proposed changes in ICRP concepts are discussed.

The erratum of this chapter is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-9728-8_23