~13-

transport from deep Jung and lymph node burdens resulting from previous
inhalation ‘exposure.

However, the magnitude should be similar to that pre-

viously estimated for New York and would therefore lead to total annual
urine levels of approximately 0.015 pCi.
lead to an annual quantity of 3.65 pCi.

The reported urine concentrations<
If we accept the reported urine

concentrations for Bikini then it would: seem that the transfer coefficient

of Pu across the gut for Pu incorporated in food products must be much

higher than 3 x 107°.
However, the New York data indicate that the major contribution to the
Pu urine concentrations is via the inhalation pathway.

If the Pu concentrations

reported for uriné samples from New York are accepted, the data suggest that
the parameters for transfer of Pu to blood must be considerably higher than
-those presently used.

An increase, however , in both the amount transferred

from the upper respiratory tract to the blood and the amount transferred from

the blood to the urine, which are reasonable for physiological function and
chemicat transport, stil] cannot account for 20% of the total annual intake
appearing in the urine.

Because of this seemingly large fraction of the

total intake appearing in the urine, it is difficult to evaluate whether

this human data

indicates that transfer to urine is greater for human popula-

tions than previously assumed based upon animal studies.

.

SUMMARY

Bikini Atoll may be the only global source of data on humans where
intake via ingestion is thought to contribute the major fraction of
plutonium body burden.

It is possibly the best available source of data

' for evaluating the transfer of Pu across the gut wall after being
incorporated into biological systems.

If the plutonium urine data for.

Select target paragraph3