Étude metabolique et therapeutique des contaminations respiratoires par certains actinides en solutions*

Abstract

Respiratory contamination by plutonium, americium and curium soluble salts was studied from the point of view of the salt’s solubility in the body and its distribution and clearance. Uptake processes were rapid: 15 min after exposure, 15-45% of the amount retained in the lung passed through the alveoli, andlO% of this fraction was deposited in the bone. Two months later, only the lung and bone showed an appreciable burden. Urinary excretion was a function of the solubility of the salt considered. Treatment by DTPA was effected either by aerosol or intramuscular injection. When treatment was undertaken 24 hr after exposure, the lung burden was reduced by a factor of y1/10, the bone burden by a factor of 1/6-1/10DTPA diffused more slowly from the lung than from the muscle, thus resulting in a longer lasting plasma burden. These metabolic and therapeutic data enable us to specify a treatment sequence to be applied to man in case of respiratory exposure to plutonium, americium or curium solutions: DTPA should be given as aerosol immediately after exposure, then by systemic administration. Afterwards, one aerosol administration a week should be enough. © 1971 Health Physics Society.