Inhalation of uranium nanoparticles: respiratory tract deposition and translocation to secondary target organs in rats
- Petitot, Fabrice
- Lestaevel, Philippe
- Tourlonias, Elie
- Mazzucco, Charline
- Jacquinot, Sébastien
- Dhieux, Bernadette
- Delissen, Olivia
- Tournier, Benjamin
- Gensdarmes, François
- Beaunier, Patricia
- Dublineau, Isabelle
DOIAbstract
Uranium nanoparticles (<100 nm) can be released into the atmosphere during industrial stages of the nuclear fuel cycle and during remediation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Explosions and fires in nuclear reactors and the use of ammunition containing depleted uranium can also produce such aerosols. The risk of accidental inhalation of uranium nanoparticles by nuclear workers, military personnel or civilian populations must therefore be taken into account. In order to address this issue, the absorption rate of inhaled uranium nanoparticles needs to be characterised experimentally. For this purpose, rats were exposed to an aerosol containing 10⁷ particles of uranium per cm³ (CMD=38 nm) for 1h in a nose-only inhalation exposure sys...
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