title: Twenty-year follow-up of a Pu/Am inhalation case.
abstract: In 1983 a technician inhaled a mixture of Pu/Am aerosols in an accidental situation in the hotlab of Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). This case is of interest for long-term follow-up since the technician was relatively young (26 y) at the time of intake, no chelating agent was used to alter retention and excretion and the inhaled activity was rather high (approximately 20 kBq of alpha emitters). The results obtained from periodic lung counts, urinary and faecal excretions as well as from some bone and liver measurements up to the year 2003 are presented. The measurements were mainly made at PSI but also at FZK Karlsruhe, Germany, and PNNL Hanford, USA. The evaluation and dose estimation of this case was done by several institutions, such as FZK, PNNL and NRPB in addition to PSI. Elements of the case were used in international biokinetic model validation programs by EURADOS/EULEP and IAEA and the 241Am data are given as example in Annex E of the ICRP 'Guide for the Practical Application of the ICRP Human Respiratory Tract Model'. An overview is given on the various results obtained by the different institutions using their models and methods for interpretation of the measured data. While estimation of intake varies by more than an order of magnitude, final estimation of effective committed dose varies only in the range of 0.5-1.5 Sv.
authors.affiliation: Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), 5232 Villigen, Switzerland. Christian.Wernli@psi.ch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wernli
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eikenberg
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000465:Algorithms; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011005:Plutonium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013557:Switzerland
chemical_list: D011005:Plutonium