Uranium(VI) solubility and speciation in simulated elemental human biological fluids. 2004

Mark Sutton, and Stephen R Burastero
Chemical Biology and Nuclear Science Division and Health Services Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94551, USA. Sutton18@llnl.gov

The complete understanding of the human body response to uranium contamination exposure is vital to the development of exposure analysis and subsequent treatments for overexposure. Thermodynamic modeling has traditionally been used to study environmental metal contaminant migration (especially uranium and other radionuclides), allowing examination of chemical processes difficult to study experimentally. However, such techniques are rarely used in the study of metal toxicology. Chemical thermodynamics has a unique and valuable role in developing models to explain metal metabolism and toxicology. Previous computational models of beryllium in simulated biological fluids have been shown to be useful in predicting metal behavior in the human body. However, previous studies utilizing chemical thermodynamics in understanding uranium chemistry in body fluids are limited. Here, a chemical thermodynamic speciation code has been used to model and understand the chemistry of uranium in simulated human biological fluids such as intracellular, interstitial, and plasma fluids, saliva, sweat, urine, bile, gastric juice, pancreatic fluid, and a number of airway surface fluids from patients with acute lung conditions. The results show predicted uranium solubility, and speciation varies markedly between each biological fluid due to differences in fluid composition, ionic strength, and pH. The formation of uranium hydroxide, phosphate (sodium/potassium autunite), and calcium uranate was observed in most of the fluids. The results of this work, supported by experimental validation, can aid in understanding the metabolism and toxic effects of uranium with potential applications to biological monitoring as well as chelation treatment of uranium body burden.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008954 Models, Biological Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D001826 Body Fluids Liquid components of living organisms. Body Fluid,Fluid, Body,Fluids, Body
D004784 Environmental Monitoring The monitoring of the level of toxins, chemical pollutants, microbial contaminants, or other harmful substances in the environment (soil, air, and water), workplace, or in the bodies of people and animals present in that environment. Monitoring, Environmental,Environmental Surveillance,Surveillance, Environmental
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012995 Solubility The ability of a substance to be dissolved, i.e. to form a solution with another substance. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Solubilities
D013816 Thermodynamics A rigorously mathematical analysis of energy relationships (heat, work, temperature, and equilibrium). It describes systems whose states are determined by thermal parameters, such as temperature, in addition to mechanical and electromagnetic parameters. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 12th ed) Thermodynamic
D014501 Uranium A radioactive element of the actinide series of metals. It has an atomic symbol U, atomic number 92, and atomic weight 238.03. U-235 is used as the fissionable fuel in nuclear weapons and as fuel in nuclear power reactors.

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