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RE: Request for Info on DU Munitions: Useful(?) Information

The lung retention information is found in chapter 5 (Dosimetric Model for
the Respiratory System) of ICRP 30.  The respiratory system feeds the
transfer compartment which in turn feeds the various organs of the body.
The metabolic data given for individual radionuclides doesn't include the
lung; the retention functions describe the fate of material that enters the
transfer compartment, whether through the inhalation, ingestion, or
injection pathway.

The lung isn't the limiting organ for uranium, but it is the organ that
receives the largest dose for intakes of both classes W and Y.  Bone
surface is the limiting organ for class D.

This is not to say that the kidney isn't a target of chemical toxicity, but
ICRP 30 doesn't give all of the information required to make that
determination.  You need to compare the information in ICRP 30 with
information regarding the limiting values for chemotoxicity.

Liz

At 03:30 AM 1/18/2001 -0600, you wrote:
>Am I missing something?  I only have ICRP 30 in front of me right now, but
the only retention functions that I see are for R(bone), R(kidney), and
R(other).  The lung is not a critical organ for U.  Uranium is a nephrotoxin.
>
>In fact, the DOE STD that is cited below discusses both the ICRP 30 and 54
retention models, citing the above critical organs and goes on to state:
>
>"The kidney is the primary target of the chemical toxicity of uranium."
(pg. 5-28).
>
>v/r
>Michael
>
>

*******************************************************
Elizabeth M. Brackett, CHP 
Sr. Health Physicist     
MJW Corporation, Inc. (http://www.mjwcorp.com)    
(860) 896-0109        
mailto:brackett@alumni.umass.edu or brackett@cshore.com
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