Uranium microdistribution in renal cortex of rats after chronic exposure: a study by secondary ion mass spectrometry microscopy.
For a few years, the biological effects on ecosystems and the public of the bioaccumulation of radionuclides in situations of chronic exposures have been studied. This work, in keeping with the ENVIRHOM French research program, presents the uranium microdistribution by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) technique in the renal cortex of rats following chronic exposure to this low level element in the drinking water (40 mg/L) as a function to exposure duration (6, 9, 12, and 18 months). The SIMS mass spectra and 238U+ ion images produced with a SIMS CAMECA 4F-E7 show the kinetic of uranium accumulation in the different structures of the kidney. For the rats contaminated up to 12 months, the radioelement is mainly fixed in the proximal tubules; then after 18 exposure months, uranium is detected in all the segments of the nephron. This work has also shown that ion microscopy is an analytical method to detect trace elements and give elemental cartography at the micrometer scale.
Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, DRPH, SDI, LRC, BP 17, F-92262 Fontenay aux Roses Cedex, France. christine.tessier@irsn.fr
Christine
C
Tessier
David
D
Suhard
François
F
Rebière
Maâmar
M
Souidi
Isabelle
I
Dublineau
Michelle
M
Agarande
D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D018629:Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion; D014501:Uranium / Q000378:metabolism*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014501:Uranium