Evaluation of a technique for separating organic material from mineral bone in individuals occupationally exposed to...

The shaft portion of the left femur from an individual occupationally exposed to Pu was used to investigate the suitability of an ethylenediamine extraction technique to separate mineral bone from organic material. Marrow in the lumen was removed before the extraction technique was used and was analyzed separately for Pu. Ethylenediamine extraction did not remove Pu from the mineral bone, even after treatment for 48 h. The total amount and the concentration of Pu was highest in mineral bone and lowest in the extracted organic material.