Nutritional Influences on Plutonium Absorption from the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Rat

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Abstract
The possibility of environmental contamination from nuclear accidents or waste disposal sites indicates a need for data about the behavior of the contaminants when ingested. Rats that were fasted and/or fed diets consisting of whole milk, dry milk, milk supplement, orange juice, low Ca or low vitamin D were gavaged with 238Pu nitrate to measure Pu absorption. All dietary variations resulted in increases in absorption and retention. The increases ranged between 2- to 20-fold the abosrption values obtained for rats fed commercial chow. Sucklings of dams fed a Ca-deficient diet also exhibited increased 238Pu absorption. Nutrition was an important factor influencing gastrointestinal absorption of Pu.