Diethylene-Triamine-Penta-Acetate Administration Protocol for Radiological Emergency Medicine in Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plants

Abstract

Inhalation therapy of diethylene-triamine-penta-acetate (DTPA) should be initiated immediately to workers who have significant incorporation of plutonium, americium or curium in the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. A newly designed electric mesh nebulizer is a small battery-operated passive vibrating mesh device, in which vibrations in an ultrasonic horn are used to force drug solution through a mesh of micron-sized holes. This nebulizer enables DTPA administration at an early stage in the event of a radiation emergency from contamination from the above radioactive metals.

Keywords:

• Diethylene-triamine-penta-acetate (DTPA)
• Plutonium
• Ultrasonic mesh nebulizer

Notes

*Presented at the 16^th International Conference on Chelation, Limassol, Cyprus, October 25–31, 2006.