Assessment and Management of a Plutonium Contaminated Wound Case

Abstract

A Plutonium contaminated wound is described together with its management. Initially, 14.2 pCi of Plutonium were present in the wound this figure being reduced to about 1.8 pCi after two excisions. During the period of assessment DTPA was administered and the effect of this is discussed. Urinary excretion data were obtained and quantitative monitoring of the lymphatic channels of the arm and the liver were attempted. Various methods of assessment of body content are discussed which indicate the amount of retained Plutonium to lie between 0.1 and 1.5 pCi. Chromosome culture from blood lymphocytes was undertaken which indicated probable preferential irradiation of these cells. G. W. DOLPHIN

Predicting Plutonium Decorporation Efficacy after Intravenous Administration of DTPA Formulations: Study of Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Relationships in Rats

“…2, demonstrate that the excretion of the complex can be reasonably well modelled by this equation. This behaviour is not surprising as our results are in accordance with those of other authors who have empirically demonstrated from experimental data in treated humans, and without particular pharmacokinetic considerations, that Pu urinary elimination rates induced by DTPA therapy exponentially decrease with time after each administration (12,13). It was also proposed that Pu elimination rates or the day of DTPA administration can be fractionated into a sum of two exponential decay functions, but that globally the rates tend to be described by a power function of time elapsed after one treatment and for longer periods of observation over 100 days (14).…”

Exposure to actinides: report on Ca-DTPA injections in CEA-AREVA centres

“…A rapid phase for 25% of the quantity produced with a biological period of 12 hours, and a slow phase for the residual quantity with a period of 7 days (Jolly Jr et al, 1972). This kinetic is in agreement with that described by Schofield (Schofield et al, 1974) indicating a period of roughly 5 days.…”

Human Cytogenetic Dosimetry

“…However, should an individual be internally contaminated with an alpha-emitting nuclide as in the 239Pu contaminated wound case recently reported (Sc74), no appropriate dose-response curve is available for use in making a biological equivalent whole body dose estimate. However, should an individual be internally contaminated with an alpha-emitting nuclide as in the 239Pu contaminated wound case recently reported (Sc74), no appropriate dose-response curve is available for use in making a biological equivalent whole body dose estimate.…”

“…As an example we have used information from the published report on a 2 3~u wound contamination (Sc74) in which adequate data on both Pu body burden and cytogenetic findings are reported. As an example we have used information from the published report on a 2 3~u wound contamination (Sc74) in which adequate data on both Pu body burden and cytogenetic findings are reported.…”