Human metabolism of aluminium-26 and gallium-67 injected as citrates

Abstract

1 ²⁶Al and ⁶⁷Ga were given as citrates to a healthy male volunteer by intravenous injection. The retention of both tracers was studied by body radioactivity measurement. Levels in blood and excreta were determined by y-ray spectrometry and/or accelerator mass spectrometry.

2 More than half of the ²⁶Al had left the blood after 15 min and the decline continued, leaving <1% in blood after 2 d; the losses occurred both to renal excretion and through uptake by other compartments. Estimated excre tion up to 13 d was 83% (urine) and 1.8% (faeces). Whole-body retention of 15% at 13 d declined to ∼4% at 1178 d, when the daily reduction corresponded to a bio logical half-life of 7 y, suggesting that sustained intake of dietary aluminium may lead to a progressively increas ing internal deposit.

3 The metabolism of ⁶⁷Ga differed markedly from that of ²⁶Al in all aspects studied.