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USTUR 0259


Measured concentrations of 238Pu in bones of the head, trunk and pelvis

  Concentration in wet bone,
Bq g-1
Concentration in mineral bone,a Bq g-1
  ————————————— —————————————
Bone description No. of samples Meanb +/-S.D.c Meanb +/-S.D.c
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Head  
Skull 10 1.20x10-2 3.2x10-3 1.54x10-2 3.5x10-3
Mandible 1 8.86x10-3 1.08x10-2
Trunk
Vertebral bodies 11 1.83x10-2 4.1x10-3 5.24x10-2 7.1x10-3
Vertebral arches 11 1.61x10-2 6.1x10-3 3.41x10-2 1.05x10-2
Ribs 12 1.64x10-2 2.0x10-3 3.23x10-2 5.6x10-3
Sternum 1 1.61x10-2 d
Scapulae 3 1.52x10-2 4.9x10-4 2.65x10-2 4.3x10-3
Clavicles 3 1.30x10-2 6.2x10-4 2.35x10-2 6.7x10-3
Pelvis  
Ilium 3 1.38x10-2 1.4x10-3 3.06x10-2 1.2x10-3
Sacrum 1 1.45x10-2 4.29x10-2
Coccyx 1 6.60x10-3 2.98x10-2
——————————————————————————————————————————————
a Calculated from measured weight of bone ash, assuming that ash weight is 63% of mineralized bone weight.
b Weighted mean of measured 238Pu concentration for all samples.
c Standard deviation of 238Pu concentration measured in each sample.
d No ash weight available.

Measured concentrations of 238Pu in bones of the limbs

  Concentration in wet bone,
Bq g-1
Concentration in mineral bone,a Bq g-1
  ————————————— —————————————
Bone description No. of samples Mean +/-S.D.c Mean +/-S.D.c
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Humeri  
Proximal ends 1 1.11x10-2 3.53x10-2
Shafts 2 5.04x10-3b 6.8x10-3 8.11x10-3b 1.10x10-2
Distal ends 1 6.20x10-3 1.13x10-2
Radii and ulnae  
Proximal ends 2 7.92x10-3 3.4x10-4 1.49x10-2 1.6x10-3
Shafts 4 4.55x10-3 1.7x10-3 5.60x10-3 2.2x10-3
Distal ends 2 3.62x10-3 2.1x10-3 7.83x10-3 4.8x10-3
Hands  
Carpals 7 6.60x10-3 2.2x10-3 1.23x10-2 4.8x10-3
Metacarpals 4 5.99x10-3 1.8x10-3 1.13x10-2 2.7x10-3
Phalanges 13 7.78x10-3 1.9x10-3 1.37x10-2 3.2x10-3
Femora  
Proximal ends 1 6.11x10-3 3.12x10-2
Shafts 2 1.03x10-2 1.9x10-3 1.49x10-2 7.4x10-4
Distal ends 1 1.22x10-2 1.63x10-2
Patellae 1 6.35x10-3 1.25x10-2
Tibiae and fibulae  
Proximal ends 1 6.23x10-3 1.84x10-2
Shafts 4 5.84x10-3 1.0x10-3 7.79x10-3 1.6x10-3
Distal ends 2 5.81x10-3 2.0x10-3 1.25x10-2 3.4x10-3
Feet  
Tarsals 6 4.67x10-3 1.4x10-3 1.17x10-2 2.7x10-3
Metatarsals 2 5.51x10-3 1.9x10-4 1.02x10-2 1.0x10-4
Phalanges 12 8.48x10-3 4.6x10-3 1.49x10-2 1.2x10-2
——————————————————————————————————————————————
a Calculated from measured weight of bone ash, assuming that ash weight is 63% of mineralized bone weight.
b One of two samples had anomalously low measured activity.
c Standard deviation of 238Pu concentration measured in each sample.

 

arrowsData from individual soft tissues, organs, and parts of the skeleton as presented in Appendix B of USTUR Case 0259 Whole Body Donation: A comprehensive test of the current ICRP models for the behavior of inhaled 238PuO2 ceramic particles (James et al).

 

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