THE DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOACTIVE PHOSPHORUS IN THE BLOOD AND TISSUES OF RABBITS TREATED WITH TAGGED ISOPROPYL METHYLPHOSPHONOFLUORIDATE (SARIN)

Abstract

By using sarin (isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) tagged with P³² it has been possible to determine the distribution of the P³² in the tissues after injection of sarin solutions or after cutaneous application of sarin vapor. In rabbits the percentage of P³² per gram of tissue after injection of sarin P³² was found to be higher in lung and kidneys than in other organs. The ratio of the P³² in blood to that in the body as a whole was found to decrease with the time after injection. The ratio also varied with the time after cutaneous application of vapor but in this case the results were complicated by the relatively long exposure times compared with the injection times. Cholinesterase determinations carried out on rabbit erythrocytes showed that the Cholinesterase levels dropped precipitously as the P³² concentration in the blood increased.