A simple method for the estimation of the bioavailability of radiocaesium from herbage contaminated by adherent soil

Beresford, N.A.; Barnett, C.L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9723-7247; Coward, P.A.; Howard, B.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9698-9524; Mayes, R.W.. 2002 A simple method for the estimation of the bioavailability of radiocaesium from herbage contaminated by adherent soil. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 63 (1). 77-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(02)00017-6

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Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...

Abstract/Summary

Adherent soil may contribute a large proportion of the radiocaesium content of sampled vegetation. Consequently, inadvertent ingestion of adherent soil can contribute significantly to the radiocaesium intake of grazing animals, and needs to be accounted for within radiological assessments. However, accurate estimation of the degree of soil adhesion on vegetation is acknowledged to be difficult. To determine the relative contributions of vegetation and soil to the radiocaesium contamination of milk and tissues, soil-specific estimation of radiocaesium bioavailability values would be required. Here we suggest that a previously developed in-vitro bioavailability assay (involving a 2 h extraction with 0.1 M stable CsCl) can be used to estimate the true absorption coefficient of radiocaesium associated with sampled vegetation directly. Using this technique, seasonal trends in bioavailability are demonstrated to vary in accordance with estimations of the degree of soil adherent to vegetation collected from an upland pasture. The use of this technique would negate the need for detailed measurements of the amount of soil adhering to sampled vegetation and soil-specific radiocaesium bioavailability assessments.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(02)00017-6
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Other
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	_ Environmental Chemistry & Pollution
ISSN:	0265-931X
Additional Keywords:	radioecology
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	26 Apr 2012 13:40 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/17748

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(02)00017-6

Programmes:

CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Other

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

_ Environmental Chemistry & Pollution

ISSN:

0265-931X

Additional Keywords:

radioecology