Strontium studies in children

Brown, Wilma M. M. (1966) Strontium studies in children. MSc(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The localisation of radio-active strontium within the bona matrix of the young animal has given rise to a modern hazard unknown before the advent of thermonuclear explosions and fallout. The metabolism of this element has been investigated by many workers but results for work on children are somewhat limited.

This thesis describes a series of measurements in hospitalised children during which the stable isotope of strontium was determined in various samples using a spectrochemical method. The relative calcium content of these samples was also estimated by this means. Optimum working conditions for the instrument were first obtained and are detailed in the text.

The variation of urinary calcium content in ageing samples has been studied and found to be minimised by acidification.

A group of nine strontium-calcium balances under additional calcium are described and the effect of the salicylate ion considered. This appears to be dependent on the calcium salt employed.

The strontium content of some 45 samples of children's urine has been determined using a direct method which emits the separation of the strontium. Strontium/calcium ratios for those samples have also been calculated and found to occupy a considerable range in value. One sample of urinary calculus has been investigated and is shown to differ markedly from the urine of the same patient.

Values for natural strontium/calcium in bone and teeth have been determined and found to be reasonably comparable, giving rise to O. R. bone or teath/diet of 0,25 (approx.). One case of osteogenic sarcoma is described showing the uptake of strontium in both the tumour and surrounding tissue.

Balances in rachitic children suggest that vitamin D, produces an increased absorption of calcium but not of strontium.

Studies in infants on milk diets indicate that the O.R. bone/diet is higher then in older children or adults, which suggest a lower discrimination in favour of calcium in infants. A large variation in O.R. urine/ diet is also exhibited in this age group.

Throughout this thesis, various interlaboratory comparisons of results are given, as are comparison of results obtained on the same sample by different methods. The above results have awakened many questions which it is hoped to answer in further research.

• Item Type: Thesis (MSc(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: Medicine, toxicology, nuclear physics and radiation, nuclear chemistry.
• Subjects: Q Science > QD Chemistry; R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering
• Date of Award: 1966
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1966-77186
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2020 09:16
• Last Modified: 02 Feb 2023 13:25
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.77186
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/77186