Abstract
Twenty-five persons incurred measurable inhalation exposures during a plutonium fire in 1965. Exposures ranged up to 17 times the maximum permissible lung burden as estimated by whole-body counting. Urine excretion of americium and plutonium was studied for six months following the accident. The ratio of plutonium to americium alpha activity in the urine averaged 1.5-1. The exposure material initially contained an alpha ratio of 11-1 plutonium to americium. There was no apparent change in this ratio with time during the period of study. Typical excretion curves for subjects treated with DTPA and for nontreated subjects are discussed.