HANDLING OF RADIOISOTOPES WITH ANIMALS AND PLANTS 



129 



animals per cage, etc. The general references may be consulted for 

 specific details. 



Table 4-1. Approximate Management Requirements for Various 



Laboratory Animals 



" Complete dry ration. 



Management of Radioactive Animals. After the administration of 

 radioactivity the animal must be considered as a source of external radia- 

 tion and as an origin of excreted and expired radiomaterials that will con- 

 taminate the surroundings. Only after the use of relatively large 

 amounts of radioactivity will there be a significant hazard to personnel 

 from external radiation. However, the possibility of the effects of one 

 animal on another should be taken into consideration where they are 

 housed close together over prolonged periods of time. The hazard from 

 excreta again depends upon the levels used, but more particularly upon 

 the physical and metabolic characteristics of the radioactive element or 

 compound. 



The features already described for radiochemical laboratories and the 

 small-animal colony are generally applicable to the hot animal room (15, 



16). 



If considerable numbers of animals are to be maintained continuously 

 on an intake of radioactive materials and if excreta collections are not 

 required, then the commercial cage units as already described will prob- 

 ably be used. They may need thorough decontamination at the end of 

 the experiment. Often, however, the studies may require only a single 

 dosage. In this case, the animals may be kept in inexpensive, disposable 

 cages or in regular metabolism cages until most of the excretion has 



