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An emergency bioassay method for actinides in urine.
Xiongxin Dai1, Sheila Kramer-Tremblay
1Chalk River Laboratories, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario K0J 1J0, Canada. daix@aecl.ca
Health Physics
|June 29, 2011
Summary
A new bioassay method quickly measures actinides like plutonium and uranium in urine. This rapid actinide detection is crucial for assessing exposure after radiation emergencies.
Area of Science:
- Radiochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Accurate bioassay for actinides is essential for monitoring internal radiation exposure.
- Existing methods can be time-consuming, limiting their utility in emergency situations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a rapid bioassay method for sequential actinide measurements in human urine.
- To establish minimal detectable activities and assess the method's suitability for emergency response.
Main Methods:
- Sequential measurement of actinides in urine using co-precipitation with hydrous titanium oxide (HTiO).
- Purification via anion exchange and extraction chromatography, followed by alpha spectrometry.
- Cerium fluoride micro-precipitation for final sample preparation.
Main Results:
- Achieved minimal detectable activities of 20 mBq L(-1) or less for key actinide isotopes (Pu, U, Am, Cm).
- Demonstrated an 8-hour sample turn-around time.
- Spike tests confirmed the method's suitability for actinide bioassay in radiation emergencies.
Conclusions:
- The developed method provides rapid and sensitive sequential measurement of actinides in urine.
- This technique is a valuable tool for bioassay in post-radiation emergency scenarios.
- The method meets critical requirements for timely actinide exposure assessment.
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