Uranium bone content as an indicator of chronic environmental exposure from drinking water.
Uranium (U) is an ubiquitous radioelement found in drinking water and food. As a consequence of its prevalence, most humans ingest a few micrograms (μg) of this element daily. It is incorporated in various organs and tissues. Several studies have demonstrated that ingested U is deposited mainly in bones. Therefore, U skeletal content could be considered as a prime indicator for low-level chronic intake. In this study, 71 archived vertebrae bone samples collected in seven Canadian cities were subjected to digestion and U analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. These results were correlated with U concentrations in municipal drinking water supplies, with the data originating from historical studies performed by Health Canada. A strong relationship (r(2) = 0.97) was observed between the averaged U total skeletal content and averaged drinking water concentration, supporting the hypothesis that bones are indeed a good indicator of U intake. Using a PowerBASIC compiler to process an ICRP systemic model for U (ICRP, 1995a), U total skeletal content was estimated using two gastrointestinal tract absorption factors (ƒ1 = 0.009 and 0.03). Comparisons between observed and modelled skeletal contents as a function of U intake from drinking water tend to demonstrate that neither of the ƒ1 values can adequately estimate observed values. An ƒ1value of 0.009 provides a realistic estimate for intake resulting from food consumption only (6.72 μg) compared to experimental data (7.4 ± 0.8 μg), whereas an ƒ1value of 0.03 tends to better estimate U skeletal content at higher levels of U (1-10 μg L(-1)) in drinking water.
Laboratoire de radioécologie, Département de chimie, Faculté des sciences et de génie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Bureau 1250D, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, Québec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6. dominic.lariviere@chm.ulaval.ca
Dominic
D
Larivière
Sergei Y
SY
Tolmachev
Vera
V
Kochermin
Sonia
S
Johnson
D000293:Adolescent; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
D060766:Drinking Water; D008903:Minerals; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium; C028705:bone ash