The daily urinary excretion of Th (Th) was estimated in 11 adult German subjects who were not exposed occupationally to thorium and its related compounds. Thirty-one urine samples were collected over 24-h periods on different occasions from these subjects and were analyzed using high resolution sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-SF-ICP-MS). Using this instrument a limit of detection of 20 pg L for thorium in the reagent blank was achieved. The median (mean) daily urinary thorium excretion was obtained as 1.0 (1.8) ng. This was in good agreement with the mean value of 1.5 ng Th (6 microBq) reported by another group for German population, but is significantly lower in comparison to the daily excretion range of 3.6 to 105 ng reported from other countries. The expected daily urinary excretion of thorium for the adult German population was also calculated by applying the new ICRP biokinetic model of thorium assuming reference intake values. The expected urinary thorium excretion rate for this age group is about 0.1 ng per day. Even if a small contribution from the inhalation is considered, the calculated value will be much lower than the measured values. The reason for the disagreement appears to be the use of a low gastrointestinal absorption factor (f1) of 5 x 10 in the ICRP model. Based on the present study, a higher f1 factor might be proposed separately for dietary incorporated thorium.
Since the later 1960's, a nationwide survey on natural radionuclides in drinking water showed high concentrations of natural uranium (U) in Finland, especially in uraniferous granite areas. In order to assess the radiation dose from the natural uranium to individuals, the concentrations of natural uranium in drinking water of the drilled wells were determined by radiochemical and alpha spectrometric methods. Uranium contents were measured in the urinary samples of five members of a Finnish family by means of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Correspondingly, theoretical biokinetic modeling of natural uranium incorporated for the same persons were performed with the aid of follow-up interviews. The ICRP biokinetic compartmental model and the age-dependent transfer rates for uranium were used to model the intake, transfer, distribution, retention, and excretion of (234)U and (238)U, respectively, from the drinking water for each person of the family. The organ absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose were evaluated for each family member at time intervals using specific effective energy values calculated by the SEECAL program and compared with recommended values. The modeled urinary excretion rates were found to be mostly higher than the measured values by a factor of three. The mean annual effective dose for this family is 8 muSv y(-1). By comparing the measured and calculated data, estimation of retrospective radiation exposure based on biokinetic modeling and bioassay method is enhanced and, vice versa, the biokinetic and dosimetric models are tested and verified.
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