Comparison of the retention and distribution of injected 252 Cf in rats and Chinese hamsters.

Abstract

Abstract The retentions of 252Cf in the rat and Chinese hamster were compared for 64 days following intraperitoneal injection of the citrate complex. Organ distribution was determined by serial sacrifice of groups of 6 animals at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 days post-injection for each species. Comparison of the whole-body retention pattern of 252Cf in the rat and Chinese hamster revealed significant differences. Although whole-body clearance was nearly equal at com-parable times post-injection through 64 days, differences were reflected in the number of exponential components needed to adequately describe the data and in the effective half times of the long-term components of the two equations. For rats, the long-term component was clearly a function of avid skeletal retention whereas the long-term component for Chinese hamster retention was a function of combined liver and skeletal retention. The greater contrasts between the two species were noted in organ distribution and retention. The rat initially deposited much lower quantities in the liver and kidney. Elimination from these organs was characterized by half times of approximately 5 days. In the Chinese hamster, initial deposition in the kidney and liver was greater than in the rat. The hamster kidney deposition was eliminated much like the rat with a short effective half time. However, the liver of the hamster retained the initial burden much longer than did the rat liver.