Estimation of Human Gonadal Pu and Ce Concentrations from Animal Data

Abstract

Data were obtained from the literature for gonad and body weights and for the Pu or Ce content of the gonads and body at death for several laboratory animal species, five human Pu injection cases, and 731 human adults exposed environmentally to Pu in fallout. Data for Pu concentration in gonads, liver, and bone samples of 59 male and five female occupational Pu cases (including four completely analyzed whole bodies) were obtained from the U.S. Transuranium Registry. A logarithmic function was used to relate fractional Pu or Ce concentration in testes and ovaries to body weight of the animals and to predict fractional Pu or Ce concentrations in human gonads, [Pu]G . PuB-1 = aBWb, where [Pu]G or [Ce]G is the nuclide concentration in gonads (Bq g-1 of wet weight), PuB or CeB is the nuclide content of the body at death, and BW is body weight (kg). The fractional Pu and Ce concentrations in both the testes and ovaries are inverse and nearly linear functions of body weight. The regression lines of fractional Pu or Ce concentration in testes and ovaries have similar slopes (b = -1.07 +/- 0.14); however, the nuclide concentrations (coefficient a) in ovaries are six times greater than in testes. Extrapolation of the animal data yielded fractional Pu concentrations in human testes and ovaries that agree with those calculated for the occupational cases and those recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The good agreement between the fractional concentrations of Pu and Ce in the testes and in the ovaries suggests that these data can be substituted in metabolic models of chemically similar elements for which gonadal data are scarce.

ICRP Publication 141: Occupational Intakes of Radionuclides: Part 4

“…(1997) studied the biokinetics and adverse effects of 144 Ce in dogs following acute inhalation of 144 CeCl 3 . Absorbed 144 Ce accumulated largely in the liver and skeleton, and was removed from these tissues with an effective half-time approaching the physical half-life of 144 Ce, indicating little net biological removal during the observation period. (202) Thomas et al. (1989) reviewed published data on the cerium and plutonium content of the gonads and total body for several animal species.…”

“…(202) Thomas et al. (1989) reviewed published data on the cerium and plutonium content of the gonads and total body for several animal species.…”