Shellfish Exoskeletons May Reduce Radiation Poisoning

An investigator is currently is investigating a novel approach based on a readily available biomaterial that could potentially be used to reduce an individual's radiation dose.

At present, there are no effective methods to isolate and remove radionuclides from humans in the event of a detonation of a suitcase-sized nuclear bomb by a terrorist in a major city. Dr. Tatiana Levitskaia, a scientist from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Richmond, WA, USA), reported on the technology at the U.S. national meeting of the American Chemical Society, held in September 2006 in San Francisco (CA, USA).

Chitosan is a natural and safe compound that has been found to be an effective chelator for a wide range of nuclides. Chitosan is obtained from chitin and found in the exoskeletons of many invertebrates such as crabs and prawns. It is one of the most abundant, readily available, and renewable natural biopolymers, second only to cellulose.

Some chitosan materials can be chemically engineered to improve their affinity to specific radionuclides. By binding to radionuclides, scientists hypothesize that chitosan may inhibit deposition in bones and vital organs such as the liver and kidney, and speed up removal from the body.

Dr. Levitskaia's investigation is targeted at finding a natural chelator such as chitosan that can safely and effectively rid the body of diverse radionuclides such as actinides, cobalt, strontium, and radium. Currently, Dr. Levitskaia's research involves the removal of cobalt from living tissues in laboratory rats. Results are expected in the fall of 2006.



Related Links:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory