The Metabolism of Americium and Plutonium in the Rat

Abstract

The distribution and retention of the alpha.-emitting nuclides Am241 and Pu239 in the tissues and bones of rats was studied for 600 days following intravenous injection. The biological half-lives of Am and Pu were 1600 days and 1320 days respectively. Autoradiographic techniques were used to study the microscopic distribution of the nuclides in bone and to estimate the distribution of radiation resulting from the depositions Am241 in the femur.