Comparative decorporation efficacy of 3,4,3-LIHOPO, 4,4,4-LIHOPO and DTPA after contamination of rats with soluble forms of 238Pu and 233U.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of DTPA, 3,4,3-LIHOPO and a newly synthesised molecule, 4,4,4-LIHOPO, in removing 233 U and 238 Pu after internal contamination by soluble forms of those nuclides. For this purpose. intravenous injections of DTPA (30 μmol kg -1 ) or 3,4,3-LIHOPO or 4,4,4-LIHOPO at dosages of 0.3 or 30 μmol kg -1 were performed 1, 6 and 24 h after contamination of rats by intravenously injected 238 Pu citrate and I h after intravenous injection of 233 U nitrate. Actinide content in the main retention organs and cumulated excretion were measured 48 h after contamination. These experiments show similar decorporation efficacies of 4,4,4-LIHOPO and 3,4,3-LIHOPO for Pu. which are much higher than that of DTPA. At a dosage of 0.3 μmol kg -1 , the two LIHOPO analogues were as efficient as DTPA at a dosage of 30 μmol kg -1 . After U contamination, a 20% decorporation efficacy was obtained for either 3,4,3-LIHOPO or 4,4,4-LIHOPO at a dosage of 30 μmol kg -1 .