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Description
In vitro experiments with rat kidney cells (NRK-52E) exposed to $^{243}\mathrm{Am}$ in cell culture medium show a decreasing cell viability with increasing americium concentration. Both the chemical cytotoxicity of americium and the dose caused by ionizing radiation have to be considered as possible causes. To determine the dose rate, the influence of α-, β- and γ- radiation was examined intra- and extracellularly in a detailed microdosimetric model. In the in vitro experiments, the dose rate is essentially caused by extracellular α-radiation. At the americium concentrations used, dose rates up to the Gy/h range were achieved. Noteworthy the geometry of the cells is a crucial parameter. In addition, reference samples of untreated kidney cells were exposed to analog doses in an X-ray field. The cell viability curves depending on the dose show good agreement for both approaches.
