Predicting transfer of radionuclides: soil-plant-animal modelling

This chapter presents some brief case studies which illustrate a number of approaches that can be employed to model these transfers. It concentrates on those approaches that go beyond traditional tools for the prediction of transfer and attempt to put these in the context of existing radiological assessment models. The case studies are divided into three sections: (1) soil-plant transfer, (2) transfer to animals, and (3) spatial models. Traditional models of radionuclide transfer to the food chain are based on the use of empirically, derived parameters such as transfer coefficients and Tag values. Many of the models, outlined are probably too sophisticated to be incorporated directly into radiological assessment models but they can be used to develop improved transfer parameter estimates perhaps functionally accounting for relevant external driving factors. The chapter also outlines how semi-mechanistic models for soil to plant transfer of radiocaesium are integrated with spatial data sets of soil characteristics and agricultural production to produce models that can predict food chain contamination dynamically and spatially.