title: Increased retention of americium in kidneys as compared with plutonium in an actinide wound contamination model in the rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Americium-241 ((241)Am) presents a potential risk for nuclear industry workers associated with reactor decommissioning and aging combustible materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate Am renal retention after actinide contamination by wounding in the rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anesthetized rats were contaminated with Mixed Oxide (MOX) (7.1% Plutonium [Pu] by mass and containing 27% Am as % total alpha activity), Pu or Am nitrate following an incision wound of the hind leg. Times of euthanasia ranged from 2 hours to 5 months after contamination. Pu and Am levels were quantified following radiochemistry and alpha-spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initial data show that over the experimental period the proportion of Am in kidneys as a fraction of total kidney alpha activity was elevated as compared to MOX powder indicating a specific retention in this organ. The percentage of Pu was similar to the powder. After MOX contamination, kidney to liver ratios appeared to increase more markedly for Am (from 0.2 at 7 days to 0.6 at 90 days) as compared with Pu (0.1 at 7 days to 0.2 at 90 days). In accordance with tissue actinide retention the dose from Am to the kidney increases with time. For comparison, the ratio of estimated equivalent doses due to Am to kidney is 1.5-fold greater than for Pu (around 90 versus 60 mSv).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After actinide contamination of wounds, Am is concentrated in the kidneys as compared to Pu leading to potential exposure of renal tissue to both alpha particles and gamma radiation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de RadioToxicologie , CEA/DSV/iRCM, 91297 Arpajon.
authors.forename: Nina M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coudert
authors.forename: Thibaut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wilk
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Renault
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berard
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van der Meeren
mesh_terms: D008671:Actinoid Series Elements / Q000737:chemistry*; D000576:Americium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000818:Animals; D007668:Kidney / Q000528:radiation effects; D008099:Liver / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D011005:Plutonium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
chemical_list: D008671:Actinoid Series Elements; D009566:Nitrates; D010087:Oxides; C015459:plutonium nitrate; C041805:americium nitrate; D011005:Plutonium; D000576:Americium
keywords: Americium; MOX; kidney; wound contamination