Fate of 212Pb Inhaled by Human Subjects

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Abstract
Ten human subjects inhaled 212Pb carried on natural aerosols. Deposition in the lung varied from 14 to 45% of the amount inhaled. Clearance from the lung to the systemic tissues occurred with an estimated half time of 6.5 hr. The average 24-hr urinary excretion of 212Pb was 2.8 ± 0.15% of the body content. The total loss by fecal excretion adjusted to zero time averaged 3% body content. The lead absorbed from the lungs into the blood is in part fixed by the circulating red cells and in part distributed to other tissues. The red cell 212Pb burden grows to a steady state level which averages 50% of the total body burden. The results are interpreted to indicate that the clearance of radon daughters from the lung parenchyma by absorption into the blood has little dosimetric significance, whereas, in the case of thoron daughters, the average lung dose is reduced to less than half.

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