Worldwide Measurement of 226Ra in Human Bone

Abstract

Measurement of 226Ra and calcium in 588 samples of human vertebrae from 13 countries are combined with those of other investigators to describe the average global Ra concentration in human bone. The median population-weighted concentration is 23 fCi 226Ra/g of calcium. The median concentration calculated here delivers an a dose of 0.4 mrad/yr to cells lining bone surfaces that are thought to be critical in the production of osteosarcoma. 226

Direct total body214Bi measurements and their implications for radon dose assessment

“…A fraction of 226 Ra ingested from potable water or food is taken up and retained over a length of time in bone, where about 90% of the total body radium can be found in the reference adult man (ICRP 1993). Taking into account the mean BMC values shown in table 1, and assuming a 226 Ra concentration of 0.85 mBq per g of calcium in hydroxyapatatite crystals (Fisenne et al 1981) and a calcium to BMC mass ratio of 0.37, the 226 Ra activity was on average 0.8 and 1.0 Bq in the studied women and men, respectively, who were exposed to life-long normal 226 Ra levels. Under the assumption that 70% of the 226 Ra daughter nuclei are eliminated from the body before 214 Bi formation (ICRP 1973), this route of exposure contributed only 0.2% to the measured TBBi values in the studied subjects, apart from the two subjects who had ingested 226 Ra-rich water in a neighboring country three weeks before their first measurement.…”

Morphological features of the microdistribution of naturally occurring 210Pb/210Po and 226Ra in the teeth of children and juveniles

“…It is noteworthy that averages for 226 Ra in table 2 are similar to those in bone (Fissenne et al 1981), while 210 Po values are higher overall and much higher in outer enamel. 226 Ra in teeth is mainly associated with the active circumpulpal region in the same way that its uptake in bone is associated with active surfaces.…”

Measurement of Low-Level 226Ra in Human Bone by Using 225Ra Tracer and Alpha-Spectrometry: Approach without Use of Ba Carrier

“…For the measurement of in bone sample, indirect radon emanation techniques using fairly large samples, more than 5 -10 g of bone ash, have been widely used [2,4]. In a very few cases, radiochemical Separation of radium followed by alpha-spectrometry was attempted [5].…”