The Effects of Calcium and Phosphate in Foods on Radiostrontium Accumlation

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Abstract
Each of a series of common food materials, accompanied by a fixed dose of Sr90-Y90, was administered by gavage to rats. The femurs were removed 48 hours later and analysed for radiostrontium activity. The calcium and phosphate content of each of the materials was also determined. There was a clearcut reduction of Sr90 burden with increase of ingested calcium. This reduction was even more pronounced when the phosphate as well as the calcium dose was elevated. Some speculations concerning the inter-relationships of orally administered calcium and Sr90 were presented. Assuming that Sr90 acted as a “tracer” for calcium, the results implied that the percentage of an oral dose of calcium which deposits in the skeleton, decreases as the size of the dose increases. It was suggested that the potential hazards from ingestion of foods contaminated with radiostrontium are somewhat diminished in proportion to the calcium and phosphate concentrations existing in the foods naturally or by enrichment.