Since 1959, selected tissues from deceased humans have been examined for the presence of plutonium. The original purpose was to correlate plutonium body burden calculated from urine assay and actual burden determined by analysis of autopsy materials. The tissues have provided data on plutonium deposition in man resulting from general distribution of plutonium in the environment through global fallout and that resulting from plutonium fabrication or research and development operations.Lung, liver, kidney, lymph, and skeletal tissue are the principal materials examined. The analytical data, the significance of the findings, and the considerable uncertainties in the radiochemical analysis and calculations are discussed. The data will be completely evaluated in other Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory reports.The results are contained in the appendixes to this report. Median concentrations in the organs and tissues of a general population (not occupationally exposed) were (each number represents dis/min Pu per kg): liver,1.4; lung, 0.8; lymph nodes, 3.0; bone, 0.6; and kidney, 0.6. Plutonium concentration is generally higher in the tissues of those who have been occupationally exposed to plutonium; the concentration obviously depends upon the nature of the exposure and its severity am' lunation.
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