The Effect of Potassium, Lactose and Thyroxine Administration on Radiocesium Retention in Young Rat

Abstract

Some factors affecting on ¹³⁷Cs retention in young rats were investigated to study the characteristic features in the metabolism of the nuclide in the rats of early stage of growth. Supplement of potassium accerelated ¹³⁷Cs removal from sucklings but slightly from weanlings. Weanling rat fed on lactose-supplemented diet showed somewhat higher retention of the nuclide than that in the control rats. Daily administration of thyroxine to suckling rats increased removal of body ¹³⁷Cs. However, this effect began to appear about ten to twelve days after the beginning of the administration of thyroxine in the case of 7-day-old sucklings (age at the beginning of experiment), whereas it appeared within a few days in the case of 17-day-old ones.