Measurement of Radium-226 and Polonium-210 in Teeth and Bone of American Subjects with No History of Occupational Exposure

Abstract

The amount of ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Po in teeth and bone of American subjects having no history of the occupational exposure was measured and expressed by the unit curie/g⋅Ca for comparison with the expression curie/g⋅ash. ²²⁶Ra was measured by deemanating ²²²Rn gas from the sample solution and counting by the ZnS-coated scintillation counter, ²¹⁰Po was measured by plating on a silver foil and counting by a gas-flow counter, and the calcium content was measured by the flame photometer.
More amount of both nuclides was found in bone than in teeth and more amount of ²¹⁰Po (consequently ²¹⁰Pb) was found in both bone and teeth than the amount expected as a daughter of the ²²⁶Ra content. This measurement was performed as a part of the project of Dr. Hursh's laboratory at the University of Rochester.