Radioactivity ingestion

It is not necessary in every case to sum the external and internal doses if the licensee can show that the internal dose does not contribute significantly. If, for example, the only intake of radioactivity is by inhalation, the total effective dose equivalent is not exceeded if the deep-dose equivalent divided by the total effective dose equivalent, plus an estimate of the internal dose as determined by one of three procedures stipulated in the regulation does not exceed 1, the internal dose need not be added to the external dose. Similarly, unless the amount of radioactivity ingested is more than 10% of the applicable ALI, it need not be included in the total dose equivalent. Most laboratories using radioactive materials at reasonable levels under normal conditions will find that they need only consider external exposures, just as they once did. 

Experiments with rats given oral doses of tritiated food-grade mineral oil provide supporting evidence that the absorption of hydrocarbons in mineral oils is limited. Five hours after dosing with 0.66 mL/kg of tritiated mineral oil ("liquid petrolatum U.S.P."), -75% of the administered radioactivity remained in the alimentary tract, and only 3% of the administered radioactivity was accounted for by radioactivity in other parts of the rat carcass (Ebert et al. 1966). About 80% of the administered radioactivity was recovered in feces during the first 2 days after treatment, and over 90% of the radioactivity in the feces was in the form of mineral oil. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that ingested mineral oil was poorly absorbed. Neither biliary excretion nor enterohepatic circulation of mineral oils was measured in this study, and thus, any quantitative estimates of the extent of absorption based on these data should be viewed as tentative. 

Three treated cats were sacrificed 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10 days after treatment. Radioactivity in urine and feces collected over the 10-day period accounted for 28% and 19% of the applied dose, respectively, but no radioactivity was detected in expired air. Radioactivity in analyzed tissues reached maximal levels at 24 hours (accounting for 8.7% of the applied dose). These data are inadequate for quantitative measurements of the extent of dermal absorption of TOCP, because a significant traction of the applied radioactivity was not accounted for in the analysis, and some of the TOCP may have been ingested by the cats during grooming. 

The observation of radioactivity in the stomach suggests that cats in his study ingested TOCP during grooming. 

Fig. 17. Biological model recommended for describing the uptake and retention of cerium by humans after inhalation or ingestion. Numbers in parentheses give the fractions of the material in the originating compartments which are cleared to the indicated sites of deposition. Clearance from the pulmonary region results from competition between mechanical clearances to the lymph nodes and gastrointestinal tract and absorption of soluble material into the systemic circulation. The fractions included in parentheses by the pulmonary compartment indicate the distribution of material subject to the two clearance rates however, these amounts will not be cleared in this manner if the material is previously absorbed into blood. Transfer rate constants or functions, S(t), are given in fractions per unit time. Dashed lines indicate clearance pathways which exist but occur at such slow rates as to be considered insignificant compared to radioactive decay of the cerium isotopes.

Bq 110mAg/kg diet between ingested radioactivity liver accounted for ... 

An elevated 24-hour radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) indicates true hyperthyroidism the patient s thyroid gland is overproducing T4, T3, or both (normal RAIU 10% to 30%). Conversely, a low RAIU indicates that the excess thyroid hormone is not a consequence of thyroid gland hyperfunction but is likely caused by thyroiditis or hormone ingestion. 

Peak plasma levels are reached about 1.5 h after oral ingestion, the maximum concentrations being in the order of 2 - 3 ng equivalents/ml (parent drug + metabolites) for an oral 1 mg dose. The elimination from the plasma is biphasic and proceeds with mean half-lives of 6 h (a-phase) and 50 h ((3-phase). Similar elimination half-lives are obtained from the urinary excretion. The cumulative renal excretion is practically the same after oral and intravenous administration and amounts to 6 - 7 % of the radioactivity dosed. The main portion of the dose, either oral or intravenous, is eliminated by the biliary route into the faeces. The kinetics of bromocriptine has been demonstrated to be linear in the oral dose range from 2.5 to 7.5 mg. 

Radioactivity results when some part of an atom is unstable. The instability exists because the orbital electrons or the nucleus contain too much energy. Radioactive atoms are called radionuclides. They release excess energy by emitting radiation. The type of radiation released (alpha, beta, or gamma particles) may be more or less hazardous to humans, depending on the location of the radioactive materials. Exposure to radioactive materials outside the body poses external hazards. Radioactive materials may also be hazardous when ingested, inhaled, or injected and thus pose internal hazards. The sections below describe the characteristics of radiation particles as external or internal hazards and as they may be encountered after a terrorist attack. Chapter 3 provides additional details and addresses health effects associated with exposure to radiation. 

Sample preparation is rather involved. A sample of urine or fecal matter is obtained and treated with calcium phosphate to precipitate the plutonium from solution. This mixture is then centrifuged, and the solids that separate are dissolved in 8 M nitric acid and heated to convert the plutonium to the +4 oxidation state. This nitric acid solution is passed through an anion exchange column, and the plutonium is eluted from the column with a hydrochloric-hydroiodic acid solution. The solution is evaporated to dryness, and the sample is redissolved in a sodium sulfate solution and electroplated onto a stainless steel planchette. The alpha particles emitted from this electroplated material are measured by the alpha spectroscopy system, and the quantity of radioactive plutonium ingested is calculated. Approximately 2000 samples per year are prepared for alpha spectroscopy analysis. The work is performed in a clean room environment like that described in Workplace Scene 1.2. 

Radioactive substances (radionuclides) are known health hazards that emit energetic waves and/or particles that can cause both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health effects. Radionuclides pose unique threats to source water supplies and chemical processing, storage, or distribution systems because radiation emitted from radionuclides in chemical or industrial waste systems can affect individuals through several pathways by direct contact with, ingestion or inhalation of, or external exposure to, the contaminated waste stream. While radiation can occur naturally in some cases due to the decay of some minerals, intentional and nonintentional releases of... 

No studies were located in humans regarding the distribution of 1,2-dibromoethane after oral exposure. In humans intentionally ingesting 1,2-dibromoethane, kidney lesions and centrilobular necrosis of the liver were found (Olmstead 1960 Saraswat et al. 1986). This is indirect evidence of distribution of 1,2-dibromoethane. The tissue distribution of 1,2-dibromoethane has been studied in rats following exposure by the oral route. Although retention was limited, the kidneys, liver, and spleen appear to retain the highest amounts of the administered dose (Plotnick et al. 1979) as illustrated in Table 2-4. Rats received an oral dose of 15 mg/kg/day of labeled 1,2-dibromoethane in corn oil. Twenty-four hours later 3% of radioactivity was detected in fat, brain, kidney, liver, spleen, testes, blood, and plasma, 72.38% in the urine, and 1.65% in the feces (Plotnick et al. 1979). By 48 hours after administration, 73% of the radiolabeled dose was accounted for in the urine, 1.1% in the liver, and 2.4% in the feces. Total recovery was 77.8% of the administered radioactivity. 

Some compounds, such as strontium chromate and strontium fluoride, are carcinogens and toxic if ingested. Strontium-90 is particularly dangerous because it is a radioactive bone-seeker that replaces the calcium in bone tissue. Radiation poisoning and death may occur in people exposed to excessive doses of Sr-90. Strontium-90, as well as some other radioisotopes that are produced by explosions of nuclear weapons and then transported atmospherically, may be inhaled by plants and animals many miles from the source of the detonation. This and other factors led to the ban on atmospheric testing of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons. 

As with other metals, the transition metals and many of their compounds are toxic, and their powdered or gaseous forms should not be ingested or inhaled. In addition, all but one of the isotopes of scandium are radioactive and should be handled by experienced personnel. 

Two forms of gold provide medical treatments. The radioactive isotope Au-198, with a short half-life of 2.7 days, is used to treat cancer and is produced by subjecting pure gold to neutrons within a nuclear reactor. A gold salt, a solution called sodium thiosulfate (AuNa O Cl ), is injected as an internal treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. However, since gold and some of its compounds are toxic when ingested, this treatment may cause complications such as skin rashes and kidney failure. It is a less popular treatment, particularly with the development of newer and more effective medications. 

The dust and powder of thulium are explosive and toxic if inhaled or ingested. As with all radioactive elements, thuhum can cause radiation poisoning. 

As thorium undergoes natural radioactive decay, a number of products, including gases, are emitted. These decay products are extremely dangerous radioactive poisons if inhaled or ingested. 

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