The distribution of 210Po in human bone

Recent measurements of natural radioactivity in human bone using alpha particle autoradiography have indicated that the alpha activity concentration in the bone marrow is similar to that found in the calcified bone. This paper describes radiochemical measurements made on the calcified bone and the associated bone marrow from three human femurs. A technique was developed to separate and analyse these tissues for the principal naturally-occurring alpha emitter, 210Po. In all cases the activity concentration of the calcified bone was greater than that of the associated bone marrow. As predicted by the metabolic models used by International Commission on Radiological Protection, the majority of the 210Po in whole bone was found to be in the calcified region.