Levels of 234U, 238U and 230Th in Excreta of Uranium Mill Crushermen

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Abstract
Pacific Northwest Laboratory [Washington, USA] conducted a research program to measure U and Th levels in excreta of Ur mill crushermen who were routinely exposed to airborne U ore dust. The purpose of this work was to determine whether 230Th was preferentially retained in the body over 234U or 238U. Urine and fecal samples were obtained from 14 active crushermen with long histories of exposure to U ore dust, 4 retired crushermen and 3 control individuals for comparison. Radiochemical procedures were used to separate out the U and Th fractions which were then electroplated on stainless steel discs and assayed by .alpha.-spectrometry. Significantly greater activity levels of 234U and 238U were measured in urine and fecal samples obtained from U mill crushermen, indicating that U in the inhaled ore dust was cleared from the body with a shorter biological half-time than the daughter product 23Th. U and Th separated in vivo and had distinctly different metabolic pathways and transfer rates in the body.

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