Body Potassium Content and Radiation Dose from 40K to the Slovak Population

Abstract

A group of 219 subjects of Slovak adults from both sexes were studied for potassium body content by measuring the whole body activity of naturally occurring 40K using a whole body counter. The average body potassium value is 1.68 +/- 0.33 g kg(-1) body weight for males and 1.60 +/- 0.30 g kg(-1) for females. For both sexes the average body content of K was 1.62 +/- 0.30 g kg(-1). The concentration of potassium varies inversely with age. The specific activity of 40K varies inversely with slenderness. The total body potassium varies directly with body-build index for males, while its value is essentially constant for young females and tends to decrease with body-build index for old females. The average annual dose from 40K is 150 +/- 30 microGy for males and 140 +/- 30 microGy for females. For both sexes the average annual dose is 142 +/- 30 microGy. Both total potassium body content and annual dose from 40K for older subjects are below the values reported by the UNSCEAR.

Human Body Composition: In Vivo Methods

“…The rate for a preterm infant (Ͻ2 kg body wt) is only ϳ500 g/min. Although this process contributes to our cumulative lifetime exposure, the health consequences of this internal dose remain unknown (179). Some have argued that the dose may not be harmful and that it may contribute to radiation hormesis (39,187,188).…”

A solution for 40K interference from K internal to the human body, in an underground high sensitivity whole body counter at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM, USA

“…In a clinical setting, the amount of TBK introduced into a WBC counting chamber primarily depends on body weight of the human. The value of TBK per kg body weight in a clinical setting also varies between males and females, and also depends on their demographics and age (Brindha, Rajaram, & Kannan, 2007;Diba, Alirezazadeh, & Garshasbi, 2003;Lynch, Rivard, & Garcia, 2004;Tolstykh, Degteva, Bougrov, & Napier, 2016); Lahham, Fulop, Vladar, & Ragan, 1998;Abdel-Wahab,Youssef, Aly, El-Fiki, El-Enany, & Abbas, 1992;Lan & Weng, 1989). The TBK values per kg body weight are found to be in the range between 1.4 g kg À1 in Chinese females (Lan & Weng, 1989) and 2.85 g kg À1 in Egyptian males (Abdel-Wahab et al, 1992).…”