DETERMINATION OF PO-210 AND BI-210 IN HUMAN-URINE BY DIRECT EXTRACTION ON NICKEL

The 210Po in relatively large volumes of dilute hydrochloric acid (900-1800 ml) and of acidified urine (2 × 1335 to 2 × 1700 ml), spiked with equilibrated 210Pb-210 Bi-210Po, was extracted directly on 4.5 × 11 cm nickel foils. Recoveries from hydrochloric acid at 90-100°C and at room temperature. and from urine at 90-100°C were quantitative. The average recovery from urine at room temperature was 92.7%. Extraction of added 210Po on silver foils from hydrochloric acid at room temperature and from acidified urine at both 90-100°C and room temperature was less efficient than on nickel. Recovery of 210Bi on nickel from spiked hydrochloric acid was quantitative at 90-100°C and at room temperature. From spiked urine, extracted at 90-100°C, 94.5% was recovered. If detection efficiency of deposited 210Po and 210Bi is assumed to have been 50% the average 210Po content of three different pools of normal human urine at the time of excretion was 0.03 pCi 1-1, and that of 210Bi 0.89 pCi 1-1. © 1979.