Pregnant rats were injected intravenously after 15 or 19 days of gestation with colloidal suspensions of 239Pu or with citrated solutions of 239Pu, 237Np, or 233U. The concentration of the actinide was determined in several maternal and fetal tissues 24 hours later. The retention of the nuclides in the placenta and fetal membranes was influenced by the specific nuclide and physico-chemical form administered. Only a small fraction of the injected nuclide entered the fetus and their distributions within the fetus were dissimilar to those found in the dam. Of particular note was the relatively high concentration of plutonium found in fetal bone after administration of a citrated solution to the dam.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Sikov et al. (1968) studied this question.