The knowledge of the absorbed radiation dose is essential in order to interpret the
results of animal experiments with chronic ingestion of radionuclides by rodents. In order
to evaluate this absorbed dose, we applied the dose conversion factors proposed by ICRP
publication 108 to mouse chronic ingestion experiments with 20 kBq.L-1137Cs-
or 90Sr-contaminated water. The results indicated that whole-body absorbed
doses were 9 mGy and 10 mGy by the end of 20 weeks of 137Cs or 90Sr
ingestion, respectively. These results of dose calculations were compared with results
obtained with a more refined method using published organ-specific absorbed fractions of
energy. There was good agreement between the two methods, indicating that, despite the
simple hypotheses used to apply the ICRP 108 dose conversion factors to our mouse model,
this method allows one to calculate in a simple and reliable way the absorbed radiation
dose received by the rodents during long-term experiments on chronic ingestion of
radionuclides.