The distribution and retention of plutonium, americium and uranium in CBA/H mice

Groups of male and female CBA/H mice were given intraperitoneal injections of 40 kBq kg-1 of 239Pu, 241Am and 233U citrate solutions and the retention and distribution of the three radionuclides compared at times up to 448 days. Similar results were obtained for males and females and showed that: 1. Whole body retention at 448 days was very similar for 239Pu and 241Am, accounting for about 20% of injected activity for each nuclide; retention of 233U was much lower at about 3%. 2. The skeleton accounted for 85% or more of retained 239Pu, 241Am and 233U activity from 6 weeks after injection. 3. The greatest concentrations of each radionuclide were measured in the main body of the spine, limb girdles and ribs, with lowest concentrations in the paw bones, head bones and caudal vertebrae. The inhomogeneity of distribution was in the order Pu > U > Am; with a trend to more uniform activity with time. 4. Average bone doses to 448 days were calculated as about 1.6 and 1.7 Gy for 239Pu and 241Am, respectively, and 0.3 Gy for 233U, with ranges for individual bones of 0.7-3.0 Gy, 1.1-2.5 Gy and 0.1-0.6 Gy, respectively. Average liver doses to 448 days were calculated as about 0.9 Gy, 0.6 Gy and 0.007 Gy for 239Pu, 241Am and 233U respectively, whilst the dose to the kidney for 233U was about 0.1 Gy. 5. Autoradiographic studies of the distribution of the nuclides in the femur showed differences in their initial distribution and subsequent movement. Initially, concentrations of 239Pu were greater on endosteal than periosteal surfaces while 241Am distributed more evenly on bone surfaces. The initial deposition of 233U on all surfaces was uneven with concentrations probably on active surfaces. Burial of all three nuclides in areas of bone growth was observed. Transfer of activity to the marrow was greatest for 239Pu and least for 233U.