On the determination of and content in human tissues

Abstract The growing concentration of man-made Pu in natural environment—water, soil, plants and food can provide the serious danger for all kind of animals and especially for mankind. Actually, as it has been established recently, Pu is accumulated during the whole life and the dangerous concentrations are estimated to be 10 −12 – 10 −13 g of Pu/g of human tissues. We warn that now the average concentration of Pu in human body is not less that 10 −14 g/g and much higher for some “hot” regions in Europe and Asia. Here we present the data on 239 Pu and also 241 Am in human hair (Semipalatinsk region area) and in human gall stones of some samples from more “quiet” regions—Minsk (Belarus) and Krakow (Poland). At the measurements of 239 Pu concentration in human hair and gall stones it has been found that it varies from 10 −13 up to 3×10 −12 g/g for south part of heavily damaged Semipalatinsk nuclear bomb test site region. Further possible improvement of neutron–gamma activation analysis—up to the level of 10 −15 g/g of Pu in human tissues, based on application of ultra clean chemicals and track detectors and on selective extraction of U out of electroplated Pu layers in flow of chlorides at high temperatures are discussed. Such upgrading the method can allow one to use the specimens of human tissues as small, as 0.1– 0.2 g in the routine Pu analysis.