Sources/Uses
Used in medicine to treat ovarian cancer, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and polycythemia rubra vera; also used as a tracer in biomedical research; [Waltar, p. 280]
Comments
"There is sufficient evidence in humans that therapeutic ingestion or injection of phosphorus-32 administered as inorganic phosphate causes acute leukemia." [IARC]
Half-Life: 14 days
Effective Half-Life: 14 days
Specific Activity: 285,000 Ci/gm
Decay Mode: Beta
Lung Clearance Half-Time: Weeks for phosphates of Zn2+, S3+, Mg2+, Fe3+, Bi3+, and lanthanides; Days for all other compounds;
Critical Organ: Bone
Internal Toxicity: High
Annual Limit on Intake: 0.4 mCi
Radiation Energy (MeV): Beta 1.71 (100%)
Radiation Accidents: 3 accidents with 6 people exposed and no deaths;
[See Glossary for references.] See "Radiation, ionizing."