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Americium Inhalational Exposure with Successful Chelation Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 August 2021

Michael Keenan ,
Torsten Behrens ,
Stan Bravenec ,
Jason Davis ,
Angie Bowen ,
Ronald Goans  and
Carol Iddins
Michael Keenan*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
Torsten Behrens
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
Stan Bravenec
Affiliation:
VHA Medical Emergency Radiological Response Team, Washington, DC, USA
Jason Davis
Affiliation:
Radiation Emergency Assistance/Training Site (REAC/TS), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
Angie Bowen
Affiliation:
Radiation Emergency Assistance/Training Site (REAC/TS), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
Ronald Goans
Affiliation:
Radiation Emergency Assistance/Training Site (REAC/TS), Oak Ridge, TN, USA MJW Corporation, Buffalo, NY, USA
Carol Iddins
Affiliation:
Radiation Emergency Assistance/Training Site (REAC/TS), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
*
Corresponding Author: Michael Keenan, Email: keenanm2017@gmail.com.
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Abstract

Americium is a man-made metal produced in very small quantities in nuclear reactors. Americium-241 is one of the radioactive isotopes of americium and has commercial applications, including use in smoke detectors. This is a case report of an occupational inhalation of americium-241, treated with both effective external decontamination and the use of diethylenetriamine pentaacetate to promote decorporation. This experience is significant because of the potential for americium or similar radionuclides to be used in “dirty” bombs or other radiological dispersion devices to cause large-scale radioactive contamination.

Keywords

AmericiumRadiation InjuriesChelationToxicologyDTPA
Type
Report from the Field
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 16 , Issue 5 , October 2022 , pp. 2185 - 2189
Copyright
© Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2021

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