Using tea as an artificial urine in a Canadian performance testing program for fission/activation products.

In recent years, the National Calibration Reference Centre for Bioassay and In Vivo Monitoring (NCRC) at the Radiation Protection Bureau (RPB), Health Canada, has been conducting investigations with black tea to develop a matrix that can be used to replace urine in each of the following performance testing programs (PTP): (1) tritium, (2) carbon-14, (3) the DUAL (i.e., 3H/14C), and (4) fission/activation products (F/AP).

Evaluation of tea as a matrix in a dual (3H/14C) performance testing program in Canada.

Urine is the most popular matrix used in performance testing programs (PTP) and inter-comparison programs (ICP) for bioassay. Because it comes from humans, there are concerns regarding its biosafety. For large programs, its collection can take several hours or days to complete.

Preparation and application of steeps of tea as new simulations of urine for the performance testing programme of 14C.

(14)C is one of the radionuclides for which the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has developed performance testing programmes (PTPs). During the PTP exercises, clients receive samples of natural urine containing spiked radionuclides, for testing. In these programmes, urine has disadvantages.

Laboratory evaluation of a SpectraMax microplate reader and test strips for field measurement of creatinine in spot urine samples in the event of a radiological accident.

The fear that terrorists might use radiological or nuclear (RN) devices to attack others is a new but growing phenomenon, arising mainly from the events of 11 September 2001. Research on rapid analytical methods that can allow analyses of large numbers of people who may become internally contaminated with radionuclides due to a RN accident is still limited. To contribute to this bioassay capacity for emergency response, the Radiation Protection Bureau of Health Canada has identified and evaluated two new portable SpectraMax plate readers (model 250 and Plus 384) and one brand of dry reagent strips for rapid measurement of creatinine in spot urine samples.

Preparation and application of tea to a tritium performance testing programme.

A simple, but novel technique, for adjusting steeps of black tea to produce fluids, which are visually and spectroscopically similar to urine, has been developed at the National Calibration Reference Centre for Bioassay and In Vivo Monitoring in Canada. The method uses scans of absorbance versus wavelength, in the UV-VIS range (200-800 nm) to select diluted tea steeps that simulate urine. Tea solutions (1 and 10 %) were spiked with tritium and distributed to laboratories for performance testing (PT).

Requirements for radiation emergency urine bioassay techniques for the public and first responders.

Following a radiation emergency, the affected public and the first responders may need to be quickly assessed for internal contamination by the radionuclides involved. Urine bioassay is one of the most commonly used methods for assessing radionuclide intake and radiation dose. This paper attempts to derive the sensitivity requirements (from inhalation exposure) for the urine bioassay techniques for the top 10 high-risk radionuclides that might be used in a terrorist attack.

The Canadian National Calibration Reference Center for Bioassay and in Vivo Monitoring: an update.

The Canadian National Calibration Reference Center (NCRC) for Bioassay and In Vivo Monitoring is part of the Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada. The NCRC operates three performance testing programs that are designed to confirm that workplace monitoring results are accurate and provide the necessary external verification that is part of a comprehensive quality assurance program. The NCRC performance testing programs cover the in vitro, in vivo, and internal dosimetry parts of Canadian facilities' radiation protection programs.

A laboratory observation of some toxic effects of commercially available implant polyurethanes on HL-60 cancer cells.

We studied the interaction of HL-60 cells with films of commercial polyurethanes (PU). The cast films were dried in an oven at 60 degrees C for forty eight hours, washed in doubly distilled water, and soaked in fresh water for another 48 hours to ensure that all of the leachables including the dimethylacetamide used as casting solvent was removed before they were introduced to the cells. The HL-60 cells were cultured in the RPM1-1640, at 37 degrees C, 100% humidity and 5% CO2.