Distribution of uranium in human bones.

Abstract

Uranium and calcium contents in human bones (skull, rib and femur) were determined by the fission track method and the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic method (ICP-AES), respectively. The U/Ca concentration ratio in the bones was found to decrease in the order of rib greater than femur greater than skull, which is in accordance with the decreasing order of the mean annual replacement percentage of bone components. Several femur bones were cut into several longitudinal segments, and uranium and calcium contents in each segment were determined. Among these, the U/Ca ratio in the epiphysis was higher than those in the diaphysis.