Metabolism of 210Po in rats: volatile 210Po in excreta

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2010 Jul;140(2):158-62. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncq047. Epub 2010 Feb 16.

Abstract

Polonium-210 ((210)Po) is one of the most toxic radionuclides and was used as a poison in the Alexander Litvinenko case. In this study of the metabolism of (210)Po in rats, volatile (210)Po in excreta was measured, filling a knowledge gap of the previous studies. Five rats were intravenously administrated with 2 kBq and another five with 10 kBq of (210)Po (citrate form). They were housed in a glass Metabowl system for 4 d following the administration. Volatile (210)Po from the excreta was collected in a trapping system filled with liquid scintillation cocktail and was measured by liquid scintillation counting. Results showed that the daily excretion of volatile (210)Po by the rats is in a very small percentage (0.002-0.009 %) of the administered amounts. However, if the administered amount is large, the excretion of volatile (210)Po can be significant.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Feces / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Polonium / administration & dosage
  • Polonium / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Hairless
  • Sweat / chemistry*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Urinalysis
  • Volatilization

Substances

  • Polonium