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PubMed2004

Global fallout (137)Cs accumulation and vertical migration in selected soils from South Patagonia.

The spatial distribution and vertical migration of global fallout (137)Cs were studied in soils from South Patagonia at the austral region of South America in semi-natural and natural environments located between 50-54 degrees S and 68-74 degrees W. The (137)Cs areal activity density varied from 222 to 858 Bq m(-2), and was found to be significantly positively correlated (p<0.001) with the mean annual precipitation rate. The fraction of the total activity density observed in steppe grass varied from <0.03% to 0.12% (median <0.07%) and is considerably lower than the results obtained at the South Shetland Islands (median 8%) and in other temperate environments in south-central Chile (median 0.2%). The median of the convection velocity v(s) of (137)Cs in the soil in such polar isotundra climate has been determined to be 0.056 cm y(-1). This value is higher than v(s) determined under polar climate (-0.012 cm y(-1)) and is near to the upper limit of v(s)-values determined in temperate environments from Chile (0.019 cm y(-1)). The median value of the diffusion coefficient D(s) (0.048 cm(2) y(-1)) is similar to D(s) observed in an Antarctic region (0.043 cm(2) y(-1)) and lower than D(s) in temperate regions of Chile (1.24 cm(2) y(-1)). About 35 years after the highest depositions, (137)Cs had penetrated to a depth of 6-14 cm in the Patagonian soils and can be expected to remain in the rooting zone of grass for many decades. Nevertheless, because of its low transfer to steppe grass observed at this region, the radioecological sensitivity of this ecosystem with respect to fallout radiocesium seems to be lower than in other polar regions.

Cesium Radioisotopes↗
PubMed1984

99Tc in surface air samples during the years 1965-1967.

In this work, 99Tc activities in atmospheric filters taken during the years 1965, 1966 and 1967 are measured on a monthly or bimonthly basis. The results show a clear yearly pattern of the activities with a maximum below 3 mBq/1000 m3 at the end of each summer, probably related, in a non trivial way, to meteorological factors. Our atmospheric 99Tc data add a more detailed structure to previously published fallout curves.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1995

Biokinetics of nuclear fuel compounds and biological effects of nonuniform radiation.

Environmental releases of insoluble nuclear fuel compounds may occur at nuclear power plants during normal operation, after nuclear power plant accidents, and as a consequence of nuclear weapons testing. For example, the Chernobyl fallout contained extensive amounts of pulverized nuclear fuel composed of uranium and its nonvolatile fission products. The effects of these highly radioactive particles, also called hot particles, on humans are not well known due to lack of reliable data on the extent of the exposure. However, the biokinetics and biological effects of nuclear fuel compounds have been investigated in a number of experimental studies using various cellular systems and laboratory animals. In this article, we review the biokinetic properties and effects of insoluble nuclear fuel compounds, with special reference to UO2, PuO2, and nonvolatile, long-lived beta-emitters Zr, Nb, Ru, and Ce. First, the data on hot particles, including sources, dosimetry, and human exposure are discussed. Second, the biokinetics of insoluble nuclear fuel compounds in the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract are reviewed. Finally, short- and long-term biological effects of nonuniform alpha- and beta-irradiation on the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and skin are discussed.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗
PubMed1998

Modeling the migration of fallout radionuclides in soil using a transfer function model.

A stochastic model for transport of radionuclides in soil is presented. It is based on probability density functions of solute displacements, which are interpreted as impulse response functions of a linear dynamic system. Two transport models are discussed: (1) a convective-stochastic approach which takes into account spatial variability of flow and sorption and leads to a lognormal probability distribution of displacements, and (2) the conventional convective-dispersive model with a constant retardation coefficient. To compare their applicability, both models were applied to depth distributions of 90Sr and 137Cs fallout measured in an Orthic Podsol. The convective-stochastic approach was found to provide a better representation of the observed depth distributions. Using this model, migration rates of the radionuclides were calculated.

Models, Theoretical↗
PubMed2004

A new generic sub-model for radionuclide fixation in large catchments from continuous and single-pulse fallouts, as used in a river model.

This paper presents a new general sub-model for fixation in catchment areas to be used within the framework of a river model for substances such as radionuclides and metals from continuous and single-pulse fallouts. The model has been critically tested using data from 27 European river sites covering a very wide geographical area and contaminated by radiocesium and radiostrontium from the Chernobyl accident and from the nuclear weapons tests (NWT fallout). This modelling approach gives radionuclide concentrations in water (total, dissolved and particulate phases) at defined sites on a monthly basis. The overall river model is based on processes in the upstream river stretch and in the catchment area. The catchment area is differentiated into inflow (approximately dry land) areas and outflow (approximately wetland) areas. The model has a general structure, which can be used for all radionuclides or substances. It is simple to apply in practice since all driving variables may be readily accessed from maps and standard monitoring programs. The driving variables are: latitude, altitude, catchment area, mean annual precipitation and fallout. Note that for large catchments, this model does not require data on the characteristic soil type or the percentage of outflow areas (wet lands) in the catchment, as in most previous models, since in practice it is very difficult to obtain reliable data on characteristic soil type or percentage of outflow areas, especially in large and topographically complex catchments. Modelled values have been compared to empirical data from rivers sites covering a wide domain (catchment areas from 3000 to 3,000,000 km2, precipitation from 400 to 1700 mm/year; fallouts from 1600 to 280,000 Bq/m2; altitudes from 0 to 1000 m.a.s.l. and latitudes from 41 degrees to 72 degrees N). The river model with its sub-model for fixation predicts close to the uncertainty factors given by the empirical data, which have been shown to be about a factor of 1.6 for 137Cs and a factor of 2.2 for 90Sr in river water. The obtained characteristic uncertainty factors for 137Cs from the Chernobyl fallout is 2.4, for 137Cs from the NWT fallout it is 1.3 and for the 90Sr results from the NWT fallout it is 3 using the new model.

Catchment Area, Health↗
PubMed1990

Measurements of 129I in human and bovine thyroids in Europe--transfer of 129I into the food chain.

Bovine thyroid glands from different countries in Europe and human thyroid glands from Lower Saxony (Federal Republic of Germany) show isotopic 129I/127I ratios of 2.1 X 10(-9) to 8.2 X 10(-8) for cattle and 2.1 X 10(-9) to 8 X 10(-8) in humans. These values give information about the concentration of fallout 129I in Europe since most of these glands were collected in areas without nuclear facilities. Some of the human thyroids were collected after the Chernobyl accident between May 1986 and February 1988. Results obtained from human thyroids taken in some locations of Lower Saxony show no significant increase of the 129I during this time. Higher concentrations of 129I were only found in cattle grazing in the vicinity of a reprocessing plant in Mol, Belgium. Samples of soil, vegetation, milk, and water from this area contained higher than normal concentrations of 129I. The long-term transfer of radioiodine from the soil to the plant and the translocation within the soil were studied using a soil monolith with a 129I-contaminated surface. During the 4 y of the experiment, the transfer factor plant/soil decreased from 0.3 to 2.2 X 10(-3). Soil samples taken in 5-cm steps to a depth of 30 cm then at 40 and 50 cm depths showed that the transport of radioiodine to lower layers proceeds very slowly. The top 5-cm layer contained about 80% of the total radioactivity 52 mo after contamination. In an in-vivo study with a dairy cow, the transfer of radioiodine from feed to milk to cow meat and to pig thyroid gland was followed for 53 d using 129I-labeled pasture grass contaminated via roots. A part of the milk obtained from the cow was fed to a pig as a substitute for humans. The mean value of the transfer factor milk/feed was 2.4 X 10(-3) d kg-1. The values of the transfer factor cow meat/feed obtained for different muscle cuts and organs (excluding thyroid) ranged between 3.0 X 10(-4) (kidney) and 5.4 X 10(-2) d kg-1 f.w. The transfer factors pig thyroid/milk (as pig feed) and pig thyroid/cow feed exhibited values of 1.2 and 8.7 X 10(-3) d kg-1 f.w., respectively.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2002

Transfer of 137Cs and stable Cs from paddy soil to polished rice in Aomori, Japan.

Rice is a staple food in Japan and other Asian countries, and the soil-to-plant transfer factor of 137Cs released into the environment is an important parameter for estimating the internal radiation dose from food ingestion. Soil and rice grain samples were collected from 20 paddy fields throughout Aomori Prefecture, Japan in 1996 and 1997, and soil-to-polished rice transfer factors were determined. The concentrations of 137Cs, derived from fallout depositions, stable Cs and K in paddy soils were 2.5-21 Bq kg(-1), 1.2-5.3 and 5000-13000 mg kg(-1), respectively. The ranges of 137Cs, stable Cs and K concentration in polished rice were 2.5-85 mBq kg(-1) dry wt., 0.0005-0.0065 and 580-910 mg kg(-1) dry wt., respectively. The geometric mean of soil-to-polished rice transfer factor of 137Cs was 0.0016, and its 95% confidence interval was 0.00021-0.012. The transfer factor of 137Cs was approximately 3 times higher than that of stable Cs at 0.00056, and they were well correlated. This implied that fallout 137Cs, mostly deposited up to the 1980s, is more mobile and more easily absorbed by plants than stable Cs in the soil, although the soil-to-plant transfer of stable Cs can be used for predicting the long-term transfer of 137Cs. The transfer factors of both 137Cs and stable Cs decreased with increasing K concentration in the soil. This suggests that K in the soil was a competitive factor for the transfers of both 137Cs and stable Cs from soil-to-polished rice. However, the transfer factors of 137Cs and stable Cs were independent of the amount of organic materials in soils.

Cesium↗