Open AccessGenetic effects of plutonium in Drosophila. Final technical report
Publication year - 1995
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/83810
Subject(s) - spermatogenesis , mutation frequency , biology , relative biological effectiveness , ion , radiochemistry , mutation , neutron , irradiation , chemistry , genetics , physics , nuclear physics , endocrinology , gene , organic chemistry
This three year project, initiated in 1987, involved the genetic effects of alpha radiations on Drosophila. This document represents the final technical report. Plutonium residue was used as the alpha source of radon gas. Spontaneous mutation frequency in the Drosophila stock was very low. In the experiments using alpha radiation from radon gas, radiation doses as low as 20R induced significant numbers of mutations, with higher numbers of mutations at higher doses. If X-ray induced mutation frequencies reported in the literature are used for comparison, it can be concluded that alpha radiation from radon gas induces at least 2 to 3 time more mutations in Drosophila