Urinary excretion of radionuclides @ P. S. Harris ET AL.
229
Table Al. Summary of analytical methods used for radionuclide assays of urine from Marshallese (adapted from ****),
Source of data
LASL
(he Tay
Radionuclide
BI
Year of
collection
1954
Chemical
separation method
(where applicable)
None
Counting method
Comments on
measurement methods
Gammacounting with
SAC counter (see
text).
LASL
(eeTe)
By
1954
Urine aliquots
evaporated to
dryness after
adjusting pH to
Total beta activity
counting and decay
rate measurements
(8-d half-life) to
Extraction/isolation
method (not
specified).
Counting
instruments not
specified.
Total beta activity
counting and decay
rate Measurementto
8-9
Method used for
limited data sets
on 100 mL
urine aliquots
Dry or wet ashed
urine of 100 mL
urine aliquots
(no chemical
separation
Sr
confirm '*'T.
confirm }°'1.
Correction for self
absorption/or use of
calibration standard
were not mentioned.
moderate
uncertainty
Satisfactory, with
moderate
uncertainty
Other beta emitters
will interfere.
Yield for extraction was
thought to be about
60% ofall isotopes,
SIT had the most
significant activity in
urine.
Total nonvolatile beta
activity and decay
rate Measurements
(55 d) to confirm
Sr. It was
predominant isotope
after the decay of
Data quality
Satisfactory, with
low to
Only satisfactory
within an order
of magnitude
due to
uncertain
chemical yield
Sr/**Sr ratio of 0.1 is
assumed. Other beta
emitters ('°’Cs) will
interfere.
Satisfactory, with
moderate
uncertainty
1317
Extraction/isolation
method (not
specified)
Total beta activity and
decay rate
measurementto
Chemical yield
uncertain due to high
variability.
High degree of
uncertainty
®Ca
Extraction/isolation
method (not
specified)
Extraction/isolation
method (not
Data corrected for self
absorption and decay.
Other beta emitter
can interfere.
Uncorrected for self
absorption. Levels of
High degree of
uncertainty
Ru(likely '°Ru)
Total beta activity
counting,
instruments not
specified.
Total beta activity
counting,
specified)
confirm *Sr.
instruments not
specified.
Plutonium
Walter Reed
(Woodward
et al. 1959)
ICs
1954
1954-1957
1958
S)
1954-1958
Alpha counting
None known.
Precipitation on
nickel
ferrocyanide
from urine made
strongly alkaline
No chemical
separation
NaI well counter with
20 channel gamma
spectrometer to
count precipitate.
Precipitation as
carbonate, °°Y
was separated
and identified
Precipitation counted
using thin-window
gas flow counter.
by its half-life
Urine counted directly
on 8X4 cm NaI
crystal.
Unreliable
‘Ru in urine are
expected to be low
due to poor
absorption in humans
(likely introducing
large error in
measurements).
Lack of required
sensitivity and
non-specific to
plutonium.
Spectral analysis
calibrated with
standard source
Reported measurement
error of + 5%
Large sample volume
(2.5 L)
Gamma-ray spectral
analysis
Specific separation for
St
Data corrected for
decay to time of
collection
Low to moderate degree
of uncertainty
Unreliable
Satisfactory,
reliable set of
data
Satisfactory,
reliable set of
data
Satisfactory,
reliable set of
data
(Continued)