Skin contamination by radioactive isotopes, (1). Pig skin contamination by ⁹⁰Sr-⁹⁰Y and ³²P

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 0.5 mm 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 increased 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. (author)