Skin Contamination by Radioactive Isotopes, (I)

In order to study the mechanism of skin contamination, the experiment was carried out by a fresh pig skin. The pig skin was contaminated with carrier free 90Sr-90Y or 32P and after a certain time elapsed, it was sliced off about 0.5mm in thickness. The adhered contamination of outer skin (abbr.; the adhered contamination) or the permeated contamination of inner skin (abbr.; the permeated contamination) in each sliced sample was measured by low back ground G-M counter. The result obtained showed that in regard to 90Sr-90Y and 32P, the adhered contamination changed extraordinarily within 60 min after contamination and then it incresed gradually with an increase of contaminating time and that particularly in the case of 90Sr-90Y, pH of contaminating solution affected much the adhered contamination. Furthermore, 90Y showed a selective adhesion at the broad pH region, that is, from a weak acidity to an alkalinity. On the other hand, the result obtained showed that in regard to 90Sr-90Y and 32P, the permeated contamination increased with an increase of contaminating time and that 32P permeated quickly more into the inside of skin than that of 90Sr-90Y. 90Y contributed greatly to the permeated contamination as well as to the adhered contamination, if pH of 90Sr-90Y solution is over 4.5.