Japanese Journal of Health Physics

Prussian blue, a blue pigment, belongs to the ferric cyanoferrate (II) group. It binds univalent metal ions, and the binding activity depends on their ionic radius. Prussian blue is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract in a significant amount. The cesium is entero-enteric cycled through the intestine. Prussian blue inhibits the reabsorption of the cesium. Many studies using experimental animals showed that the oral administration of Prussian blue increases the rate of the fecal excretion of radiocesium which results in shortening its biological half life. The accident in Goiania, Brazil, in 1987 showed that Prussian blue effectively accelerated the removal of radiocesium without toxicity. In the present review, we describe Prussian blue from a biological aspect and discuss its clinical application for the decontamination of cesium in radiation accidents.

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We have previously reported that the injection of a newly developed chelating agent, catechol-3, 6-bis (methyleneiminodiacetic acid) (CBMIDA), removes plutonium particularly from the bones, more effectively than DTPA in rats. Nevertheless, the removed plutonium is later redistributed to the kidneys, an undesirable phenomenon, in chelation therapy. Therefore, it was considered of interest to survey the effects of four new analogues of CBMIDA (C-I-C-IV) on the removal of plutonium in rats and compared with the CBMIDA. After the intravenous injection of plutonium, CBMIDA and its analogues were administered daily, for 2 weeks by intraperitoneal injection or by oral administration. The gathered data indicated that the intraperitoneal administration of two analogues, C-II and C-III significantly decreased the amount of plutonium in the bones and liver (p<0.01), and that in the spleen, testis and kidney were also reduced. In conclusion, the results indicate that among the tested agents, these two chelating agents present useful characteristics for the chelation therapy in individuals contaminated with plutonium.

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shows leadership for the peaceful use of atomic energy. To encourage the safe disposal of radioactive waste, IAEA has published several documents as a “safety series”; especially noteworthy is that the principles of safety disposal recommended in the series have obtained international consensus. This paper explains the principles of safety disposal recommended in the safety series, namely, the objectives of disposal, the classification of waste, and the disposal option. It is expected that this paper will contribute to the reading public, helping it to well understand the purposes and methods of radioactive waste disposal.

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