Features of internal absorbed dose microdistribution in biological tissue irradiated by 31SiO2 microparticles compared with dose microdistribution from exposure to 56MnO2 particles

Abstract Radiobiological studies are ongoing to understand the consequences of internal exposure to neutron-activated radioactive microparticles, which were sprayed over experimental rats and mice. Special attention in these experiments is given to internal irradiation with radioactive microparticles with short-lived neutron-activated radionuclides 31Si (T1/2 = 2.62 h) and 56Mn (T1/2 = 2.58 h), which are among the main dose-forming factors from residual radioactivity activated in soils by neutrons in the first hours after atmospheric nuclear explosions. The presented work is devoted to microdosimetry peculiarities of 31SiO2 and 56MnO2 microparticles. The radiation from 31Si consists of intensive short-range beta particles and gamma rays with very low intensity. It differs from the radiation of 56Mn, which includes intensive beta particles, low energy Auger electrons and very intensive gamma rays. Differences in the energies and intensities of short-range beta particles and penetrating gamma rays emitted by 31SiO2 and 56MnO2 microparticles can lead to differences in the spatial microdistribution of absorbed dose around the corresponding radioactive microparticles embedded in biological tissue. It was found in the presented work that the absorbed doses of beta radiation emitted by 56MnO2 and 31SiO2 microparticles has significant but different spatial gradients with distances in biological tissue that correspond to the typical thickness of epithelial cells of lungs' alveoli and bronchioles. The results obtained are necessary for a better understanding of radiobiological effects of internal exposure by radioactive microparticles with 56Mn and 31Si observed in framework of performed and ongoing radiobiological studies with experimental animals—rats and mice.