Biokinetics of nuclear fuel compounds and biological effects of nonuniform radiation.

Abstract

Environmental releases of insoluble nuclear fuel compounds may occur at nuclear power plants during normal operation, after nuclear power plant accidents, and as a consequence of nuclear weapons testing. For example, the Chernobyl fallout contained extensive amounts of pulverized nuclear fuel composed of uranium and its nonvolatile fission products. The effects of these highly radioactive particles, also called hot particles, on humans are not well known due to lack of reliable data on the extent of the exposure. However, the biokinetics and biological effects of nuclear fuel compounds have been investigated in a number of experimental studies using various cellular systems and laboratory animals. In this article, we review the biokinetic properties and effects of insoluble nuclear fuel compounds, with special reference to UO2, PuO2, and nonvolatile, long-lived beta-emitters Zr, Nb, Ru, and Ce. First, the data on hot particles, including sources, dosimetry, and human exposure are discussed. Second, the biokinetics of insoluble nuclear fuel compounds in the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract are reviewed. Finally, short- and long-term biological effects of nonuniform alpha- and beta-irradiation on the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and skin are discussed.Imagesp920-aFigure 1.

Molecular follow-up of preneoplastic lesions in bronchial epithelium of former Chernobyl clean-up workers

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Uranium carcinogenicity in humans might depend on the physical and chemical nature of uranium and its isotopic composition: results from pilot epidemiological study of French nuclear workers

“…The distribution of inhaled particles is strongly dependent on aerodynamic diameter [49,50]. In the case of small particles (about 5 lm, the most common in the nuclear industry), the lung-associated lymph system is the dominant route for physical translocation from the pulmonary region [51,52]. Pulmonary alveolar macrophages play a crucial role in this translocation because of their ability to phagocytize UO 2 particles despite the metal's high toxicity relative to cell membranes [19,53,54].…”

Chronic exposure by ingestion of environmentally relevant doses of226Ra leads to transient growth perturbations in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque, 1820)

“…Eff orts to develop a specifi c framework for protection of biota range from the reference organism approach which was put forward by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in 2008 (ICRP 108, 2008), to more ecological approaches favored by the International Union of Radioecologists (IUR) Brechignac and Doi (2009), and the various European Union sponsored projects (FASSET, ERICA and PROTECT). Both approaches, however, suff er from the severe data gaps with only a few species having any information about biological eff ects of exposure (Lang et al 1995, Jones et al 2003, Strand et al 2009, Yankovich et al 2010, Adam-Guillermin et al 2012, although interesting sets of data exist reporting chronic eff ects of ionizing radiation on non human biota that were used to examine dose-response relationship (United Nations Scientifi c Committee on the Eff ects of Atomic Radiation [UNSCEAR] 2008). Where there is information it is generally laboratory-based, Impacts of chronic radium ingestion on fi sh 951 involves high dose acute exposures and concerns species of interest to humans either as models or as food.…”