[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
LD50 FOR FRUIT FLIES -Reply
Some time ago, Paul Skierkowski requested info on the LD50 for
Drosophila melanogaster.
One table I have (of unknown origin) gives the LD50 for Drosophila at
approximately 100,000 rad.
There is a paper in Nucleonics Dec 1952 p 42 by Hassett and Jenkins
that provides the following info regarding Drosophila melanogaster:
"using x-rays found that 180 r killed 50% of young (approximately 3 hr)
Drosophila eggs. Dittrich et al found that X-rays were more effective
than fast electrons when Drosophila eggs over 3 hr old were
treated...resistance to radiation increases steadily with development, for
the LD-50 was 200 r for 3 hr old eggs, 500 r for 4 hr eggs, 810 r for 7.5
hr eggs, and 2800 r for pupae"
At 1300 r/hr using Ta 182 as the gamma source "90% of adult Drosophila
were killed by exposure to 84,000 r".
At 193,000 r/hr using Co-60, all adults were dead within 2 days of
193,000 r,
At 64,000 r some survived 3 weeks but were sterile.
The paper doesn't specify a LD-50 but given all the variables, a guess of
50,000 to 60,000 r might not be too far off.
Best wishes
Paul Frame
Professional Training Programs
ORISE
framep@orau.gov