title: Metabolism of 210Po in rats: volatile 210Po from faeces.
abstract: The metabolic formation of volatile (210)Po species in a rat that was intravenously administered with (210)Po-citrate was investigated in this study. A slurry of the faecal sample was prepared in water and was bubbled with nitrogen gas in a closed system. The discharged gas was passed through a trapping device filled with liquid scintillation cocktail in order to capture any volatile (210)Po species. The amount of (210)Po trapped in the scintillation cocktail was measured by a liquid scintillation analyser that provided evidence of the presence of volatile (210)Po species in the faeces. The presence of volatile (210)Po in the faeces indicates that the metabolic formation of volatile (210)Po is likely to occur in the gut due to bacterial activity. The amount of volatile (210)Po species was compared with the daily faecal excretion of (210)Po. After 2 h of bubbling, the volatile (210)Po collected from the faeces sample was found to be between 1.0 and 1.7 % of the daily faecal excretion for the 4 d following (210)Po-citrate administration.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 6302 D, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada. baki_sadi@hc-sc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Baki B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Sadi
authors.forename: Chunsheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bugden
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D011059:Polonium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D012588:Scintillation Counting / Q000379:methods*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D011059:Polonium