Chitosan derived from chitin which is a cellulose-like biopolymer distributed widely in nature, especially in shellfish, insects, fungi and yeast, is known to be one of the natural chelating agents. The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether chitosan can be applied to the animal and human body in order to reduce the bioavailability of radiostrontium in foods.
Chitosan solution was orally given and immediately after then 85SrCl2 was administered to rats using a stomach tube. The whole-body retention of 85Sr determined by in vivo counting was lower than that of control rats which were not given chitosan. The activity ratio in urine and f eces f or chitosan-treated rats was higher than control rats.
Ten percent of alginate food was given to rats during 10 days and 85Sr was administered orally. The whole-body retention of 85Sr alginatetreated rats was decreased sharply compared with control rats.
These results suggested that chitosan and alginate can be used as a drug to reduce bioavailability from gastrointestine of ingested radio strontium.
