| Abstrakt: |
Three whole bodies donated to the U.S. Transuranium Registry by deceased nuclear industry workers have been radiochemically analyzed for their Pu content. All had worked in the industry for 30 y or more and had been exposed to Pu, primarily by inhalation. Highest concentrations of Pu were measured in the tracheobronchial lymph nodes, followed by that in the lung and liver. Using muscle concentrations as a standard for nonconcentrating tissues, higher concentrations of Pu were found in the spleen, esophagus, pericardium, aortic arch, gallbladder, pancreas, prostate, and pituitary in one or more of the bodies examined. The ratio of skeleton content:liver content ranged from 1.0 to 3.3. The pulmonary deposition (lung, associated lymph nodes, and trachea) ranged from 20 to 53% of the total whole-body deposition. Although the concentration was low, the striated muscle contained 3 to 5% of the total Pu retained. The differences and similarities among quantities of Pu retained at the time of death by these three individuals were discussed in terms of their exposure and medical histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
