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was determined.
The metabolism of inhaled plutonium also was studied in
-
iaportant but, so too, was the particle size with which {t was associatal.
7
That 239Py was not only retained tn the lungs but also continued to eccumu-
Tate in bronchial lymph nodes suggested that these organs may also be
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beagle dogs (Bair et al., 1962) indicating that not only its chemical form was
important targets for plutonium toxicity.
**
‘The metabolisa of plutonium was reviewed by Langham (1959).
More recent
reviews include those by Vaughan et al. (1973) and Bafr (1974).
Radiobiological Effects
The effects of plutonium-239 were noted inethe 1940s.
Based on animal
studies, “plutonism’, as it was called, for high exposures was described as
being similar to effects of acute whole body radiation.
Results of acute ex-
posures were presented by Bloom (1948) and Fink (1950).
Plutonism for chroni:
exposure was seen to manifest itself with progressive liver damage and bone
tumors (Brues et al., 1947).
The majority of bone tumors produced by pluton-
jue (623) in mice, rets, amd rabbits occurred tn th
1947).
:
Some aspects of the early toxicologic studies were reviewed by Stan-
nard (1973b).
In the 3950s and later, the radfobfological effects of plutonium were
studied in avertety of laboratory animal species, including mice, rats, rabbits, pigs, and dogs.
Many aspects of plutonium toxicity were presented tn
various symposta (Thompson, 1962; Mays et al., 19698; Stover and Jee, 1972;
Healy, 1975; Jee, 1976; Wrenn, 1981}.
Other overviews were also published
(Hodge et al., 1973; Bair et al., 1974; NAS, 19/6), as were bibliographies
(Thompson, 1976; tisele et eat., 19A0).