Metabolism of plutonium in the rat / by Wright H. Langham.

This report gives a comprehensive summary of the project literature dealing with the absorption, excretion, and body deposition of plutonium when administered in various forms and by various routes to the rat. Additional experimental data are presented regarding the metabolism of plutonium when administered to the rat by intravenous injection. The results indicated the following: (1) The first day following intravenous injection of PuO2(NO3)2, the urinary excretion of plutonium was 7.5 per cent of the dose as compared to 0.33, 0.57, and 0.71 per cent when administered as PuCl3, Pu(NO3)4, and Pu+4 citrate complex, respectively. Fecal excretion during the first day was correspondingly lower following injection of PuO2(N03)2. On the thirtieth day following intravenous injection there were no significant differences in either urinary or fecal excretion of plutonium administered as PuCl3, Pu(NO3)4, Pu+4 citrate complex, and PuO2(NO3)2. At this time the average urinary excretion was 0.014 per cent of the injected dose and the average fecal excretion was 0.22 per cent. The average ratio of fecal to urinary excretion was 16/1. Urinary and fecal excretion curves are given for all forms of plutonium injected. (2) The skeleton was the principal site of deposition regardless of the form in which the plutonium was injected. Four days following injection of plutonium as PuCl3, Pu(NO3)4, Pu+4 citrate complex, and PuO2(NO3)2 skeletal deposition was 44.9, 29.3, 56.9, and 56.5 per cent of the injected dose, respectively. Deposition in the liver under the above conditions was 22.9, 39.7, 9.6, and 9.1 per cent of the injected dose, respectively. Deposition of plutonium in kidney, spleen, and in 'balance' was not greatly affected by the form in which the plutonium was administered.Work performed at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory."Date Declassified: April 1, 1948.""LADC-472."This report gives a comprehensive summary of the project literature dealing with the absorption, excretion, and body deposition of plutonium when administered in various forms and by various routes to the rat. Additional experimental data are presented regarding the metabolism of plutonium when administered to the rat by intravenous injection. The results indicated the following: (1) The first day following intravenous injection of PuO2(NO3)2, the urinary excretion of plutonium was 7.5 per cent of the dose as compared to 0.33, 0.57, and 0.71 per cent when administered as PuCl3, Pu(NO3)4, and Pu+4 citrate complex, respectively. Fecal excretion during the first day was correspondingly lower following injection of PuO2(N03)2. On the thirtieth day following intravenous injection there were no significant differences in either urinary or fecal excretion of plutonium administered as PuCl3, Pu(NO3)4, Pu+4 citrate complex, and PuO2(NO3)2. At this time the average urinary excretion was 0.014 per cent of the injected dose and the average fecal excretion was 0.22 per cent. The average ratio of fecal to urinary excretion was 16/1. Urinary and fecal excretion curves are given for all forms of plutonium injected. (2) The skeleton was the principal site of deposition regardless of the form in which the plutonium was injected. Four days following injection of plutonium as PuCl3, Pu(NO3)4, Pu+4 citrate complex, and PuO2(NO3)2 skeletal deposition was 44.9, 29.3, 56.9, and 56.5 per cent of the injected dose, respectively. Deposition in the liver under the above conditions was 22.9, 39.7, 9.6, and 9.1 per cent of the injected dose, respectively. Deposition of plutonium in kidney, spleen, and in 'balance' was not greatly affected by the form in which the plutonium was administered.Mode of access: Internet