Radiation Protection Dosimetry Advance Access originally published online on December 14, 2007
Radiation Protection Dosimetry 2008 129(4):403-410; doi:10.1093/rpd/ncm478
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Use of faecal excretion function for quick estimation of initial and existing lung burden for occupational exposure control due to 239Pu for S-class of intake
1 Health Physics Laboratory, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, GSO Complex, Tarapur 401504, Thane (District), Maharashtra State, India
2 Health Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India
3 Fuel Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India
* Corresponding author: yadav_jogendra{at}rediffmail.com
Received January 24, 2007, amended August 22, 2007, accepted October 18, 2007
Two functions namely initial lung deposition and lung retention per unit faecal excretion rate are constructed primarily based on the excretion pattern of four subjects exposed to 239Pu. In the absence of initial clear knowledge about the class of compound inhaled, faecal to urine excretion ratio was used to infer the type of inhaled class. Trends in the urine and faecal data had suggested that the intake was due to mixed class of plutonium compound for each case. With the assumption of 1:1 mixture of plutonium M&S class inhaled compound, faecal excretion rates for only S-class intake were worked out. Uptake inferred based on their urinary data had suggested it to be of similar level within 40% of uncertainty for 5 µm particle size distribution. Data, all the four cases, were pooled for analysis citing the similar level of intake, particle size distribution, nature and pattern of work. The function obtained was tested for S-class lung retention and faecal excretion rate value. These functions are handy tool for estimating initial lung burden and lung retention value for low level of S-class plutonium intake based on subject faecal analysis data.