The Effect of Potassium, Lactose and Thyroxine Administration on Radiocesium Retention in Young Rat

Some factors affecting on 137Cs retention in young rats were investigated to study the characteristic features in the metabolism of the nuclide in the rats of early stage of growth. Supplement of potassium accerelated 137Cs removal from sucklings but slightly from weanlings. Weanling rat fed on lactose-supplemented diet showed somewhat higher retention of the nuclide than that in the control rats. Daily administration of thyroxine to suckling rats increased removal of body 137Cs. However, this effect began to appear about ten to twelve days after the beginning of the administration of thyroxine in the case of 7-day-old sucklings (age at the beginning of experiment), whereas it appeared within a few days in the case of 17-day-old ones.