The metabolism of 137Cs inhaled as 137CsCl by the beagle dog.

Abstract

SummaryResults are presented for a group of beagle dogs given single, short inhalation exposures to a CsCl aerosol contaminated with 137Cs. The mean biological half-life derived from the long-term component of whole-body retention was 42 days before, and 36 days after, a colony-wide diet change. For times greater than about 10 days post exposure, approximately constant percentages of the body burden were excreted each day in the urine and feces. The U/F ratio normally fell between 3 and 7. Highest tissue concentrations of 137Cs were observed in skeletal muscle, mandibular salivary glands, and kidneys while the lowest were in lung, skin, fat, and bone. These results indicate that since 137Cs is very soluble in body fluids, the route of administration has very little effect on its subsequent distribution and extion.