The Effects of Calcium and Phosphate in Foods on Radiostrontium Accumlation

Abstract

Each of a series of common food materials, accompanied by a fixed dose of Sr⁹⁰-Y⁹⁰, was administered by gavage to rats. The femurs were removed 48 hours later and analysed for radiostrontium activity. The calcium and phosphate content of each of the materials was also determined. There was a clearcut reduction of Sr⁹⁰ burden with increase of ingested calcium. This reduction was even more pronounced when the phosphate as well as the calcium dose was elevated. Some speculations concerning the inter-relationships of orally administered calcium and Sr⁹⁰ were presented. Assuming that Sr⁹⁰ acted as a “tracer” for calcium, the results implied that the percentage of an oral dose of calcium which deposits in the skeleton, decreases as the size of the dose increases. It was suggested that the potential hazards from ingestion of foods contaminated with radiostrontium are somewhat diminished in proportion to the calcium and phosphate concentrations existing in the foods naturally or by enrichment.