The biokinetics and radiotoxicology of curium:: A comparison with americium

The human and animal data on the biokinetics of 242 Cm and 244 Cm are reviewed and shown to be very similar to those for Am-241. Liver and skeleton are the main organs of deposition and the retention of curium in the skeleton is very prolonged in all the species examined. Retention of both curium and americium in the liver appears to be species-dependent, being relatively rapidly removed from the liver of rats, and probably humans, but being tenaciously retained in dogs and some other species. The radiotoxicity of curium is also reviewed and it is shown that, as with Am-241, lung and bone tumour induction are the major hazards from inhaled and systemically deposited Cm-244. The use of chelating agents for the treatment of accidental contamination of the human body with 242,244 Cm is also discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.