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Mixed ligand chelate therapy for plutonium and cadmium poisoning

Nature volume 275, pages 311–313 (1978)Cite this article

Abstract

SERIOUS environmental and industrial hazards are associated with the release of radioactive1–3 and nonradioactive4–7 metals. Most treatments for acute and chronic metal poisoning use chelating agents forming soluble, stable and excretable metal complexes1–9. Although a few chelants are used clinically8, the efficacy of single-chelant therapy and variations is limited1–3 and deleterious effects can occur4–7,9,10. Consequently, Schubert recommended11,12 the use of mixed-ligand chelates (MLCs), in which the metal binds two or more different chelants, because of the enhanced stabilities attainable. For example, formation constants of thorium MLCs can exceed that of EDTA alone by at least 1013 (refs 13–15). We report here hitherto unparalleled achievements using MLC treatment, namely, complete removal of tissue deposits of 239Pu and prevention of mortality in animals given lethal, >LD100, doses of cadmium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hope College, Departments of Chemistry and Biology, Holland, Michigan, 49423

    JACK SCHUBERT & S. KROGH DERR

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  1. JACK SCHUBERT
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SCHUBERT, J., DERR, S. Mixed ligand chelate therapy for plutonium and cadmium poisoning. Nature 275, 311–313 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275311a0

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