[Alpha emitters inhalation: detection by a process with flags].

This work relates to the contaminated people survey (alpha emitters inhalation) with nasal mucus sample analysis. Alpha emitters detection by liquid wander on flags (blotting paper) was employed. Compared to the current technique with paper handkerchiefs, this process improves considerably the time, reduced to 10 min between the sampling's reception and the results of the analysis.

[Urinary uranium analysis results on Gulf war or Balkans conflict veterans].

During the 1991 Gulf War, the 1995 Bosnia conflict and the 1999 Kosovo conflict, munitions containing depleted uranium (DU) have been employed by the coalition forces. Altough the radioactivity of this metal is about 40-50% lower than that of natural uranium, and that health concerns are based primarily on the metal's kidney toxicity, DU has been quoted among the causes of the different pathologies developped by some soldiers a few time after they went back home. In order to evaluate the potential relation between a DU exposition and some of the pathologies described, more than 200 urine uranium analysises have been done between 1999 and 2003 by the laboratory of the french Army radioprotection service.

Treatment of actinide exposures: a review of Ca-DTPA injections inside CEA-COGEMA plants.

Calcium diethylenetriamine pentacetate (Ca-DTPA) has been used for medical treatment of plutonium and americium contaminations in the CEA and COGEMA plants from 1970 to 2003. This paper is a survey of the injections Ca-DTPA administered as a chelating molecule and it will be a part of the authorisation process for Ca-DTPA by intravenous administration. Out of 1158 injections administered to 469 persons, 548 events of possible or confirmed contamination were reported.

Diagnosis of internal radionuclide contamination by mobile laboratories.

To support patient management of possible radiation casualties in case of a radiological or a nuclear event, the Defence Radiation Protection Service (SPRA) is able, 24 h a day, to supply intervention means in France and overseas if requested by military authorities or civilian institutions. SPRA has developed mobile laboratories for the diagnosis of internal radionuclide contamination. The mission of this mobile unit is to study health and environment risks linked to radiological hazards for exposed people: workers, soldiers and also civilians.