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Concentrations Of Uranium Isotopes In Uranium Millers' And Miners' Tissues, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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The alpha-emitting isotopes of uranium and thorium were determined in the lungs of 14 former uranium miners and in soft tissues and bones of three miners and two millers. These radionuclides were also determined in soft tissues and bones of seven normal controls. The average concentrations in pCi/kg wet weight in 17 former miners' lungs are as follows: U-238, 75; U-234, 80; Th-230, 79. Concentrations of each nuclide ranged from 2 to 325 pCi/kg. The average ratio of U-238/U-234 ws 0.92, ranging from 0.64 to 1.06. The mean ratio of Th-230/U-234 was 1.04, ranging from 0.33 to 3.54. The near …