Organ-specific pollutant analyses on tissue samples of former uranium miners of SAG/SDAG WISMUT

At the German Cancer Research Centre Heidelberg samples of 247 persons, selected according to pathological criteria, have been examined for uranium mining pollutant content. Samples were taken from the former Central Pathological Institute Stollberg of the SAG/SDAG Wismut. It comprises samples of lung, lymphnodes and liver as relevant paraffin embedded organ samples for the investigations. The investigated group of workers was classified according to exposure to long lived radionuclides (LRN, U-238 containing dust), and latency time. 105 cases expressed a lung tumor. By means of mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) the content of U, Th, As, Pb, Co, Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, Cu, and Zn was measured at samples of lung, lymphnodes, and liver. The measured organ content was correlated to the job case histories. The expected uranium content was modelled according to ICRP models. The calculations were carried out by means of 'DOSAGE', a computer code of the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS-SG). The code is based on ICRP lung and biokinetic models. Modelling is carried out on basis of radionuclide intakes via lung, revealed from data of an individual job exposure matrix (JEM, state: June 2003) for LRN supplied by the Main Occupational Safety Association (HVBG). Statistical analyses of the measured data were carried out for the variables 'cumulated intake', 'year of the first exposure', 'time after end of exposure' and 'lung tumor occurrence'. (orig.)