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Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
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Published on: November 9, 2015

Thorium isotopes in autopsy samples from thorium workers.

A F Stehney1, H F Lucas

  • 1Environmental, Safety, and Health Division, Argonne National Laboratory, IL 60439, USA. avasteh@aol.com

Health Physics
|December 23, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Thorium (Th) concentrations in former refinery workers were significantly higher than in the general population. Autopsy tissue analysis revealed elevated levels of 232Th, indicating occupational exposure.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Occupational Health
  • Radiochemistry

Background:

  • Thorium refinery workers may experience significant internal exposure to thorium isotopes.
  • Understanding thorium distribution in tissues is crucial for assessing long-term health risks.
  • Baseline data for non-occupationally exposed individuals exist, but data for exposed workers are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify thorium-232 (232Th) concentrations in autopsy tissues of former thorium refinery employees.
  • To determine activity ratios of thorium isotopes (228Th/232Th, 230Th/232Th) in these tissues.
  • To compare thorium levels with those found in non-occupationally exposed individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Autopsy tissue samples (lungs, lymph nodes, bones, liver, spleen, kidneys) were collected from five former thorium refinery workers.
  • Concentrations of 232Th were measured using gamma spectrometry.
  • Activity ratios of 228Th to 232Th and 230Th to 232Th were calculated.

Main Results:

  • Significantly elevated 232Th activity concentrations were found in all analyzed tissues compared to the general population (10 to 1,000 times higher).
  • Highest 232Th concentrations were observed in pulmonary lymph nodes (up to 1210 mBq/g) and lungs (up to 94 mBq/g).
  • Activity ratios of 228Th/232Th ranged from 0.2-0.4 and 230Th/232Th from 0.1-0.2 in most samples.

Conclusions:

  • Former thorium refinery workers exhibit substantial internal thorium burdens.
  • The lungs and pulmonary lymph nodes serve as primary accumulation sites for inhaled thorium.
  • These findings underscore the importance of long-term monitoring and health surveillance for occupationally exposed individuals.