Actinium-225 as an example for monitoring of internal exposure of occupational intakes of radionuclides in face of new nuclear-medical applications for short-lived alpha emitting particles.

Monitoring of internal exposure to short-lived alpha-emitting radionuclides such as actinium-225 (Ac), which are becoming increasingly important in nuclear medicine, plays an important role in the radiation protection of occupationally exposed persons. After having tested gamma spectrometry, liquid scintillation counting and alpha spectrometry for monitoring of internal exposure, the focus of the present study was on solid phase extraction of Ac from urine in combination with alpha spectrometry. The development of the method was based on recent findings from the literature on this topic. The method was used in a pilot phase to monitor internal exposure of four workers who were directly or indirectly involved in the manufacture and/or use of Ac. The monitoring protocol allowed a relatively short 24-hour urine sample analysis with excellent recovery of the internal standard, but it did not allow for a detection limit of less than 1 mBq nor a sufficient yield of Ac. Based on these results it is concluded that an in vitro excretion analysis alone is not appropriate for monitoring internal exposure to Ac. Instead, different radiation monitoring techniques have to be combined to ensure the radiation protection of employees.