Fluoride distribution and biological availability in the fallout from Mount St. Helens, 18 to 21 May 1980
Concentrations of fluoride in the ash fallout in central Washington from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens varied severalfold, but none are high enough to constitute any immediate hazard to animal life. The heaviest fallout (Moses Lake) contained 113 parts per million (ppm) of acid-labile fluoride, but of this only 11 ppm was water-soluble and 20 ppm was available to rats. The fluoride concentrations in the urine of cattle feeding for 4 days on hay contaminated with this ash were essentially normal. Samples of ash from other areas generally had higher concentrations of acid-labile fluoride but lower concentrations of water-soluble fluoride. The concentrations of water-soluble fluoride was inversely correlated with the coarseness of the fallout. 8 references, 1 figure, 1 table.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Rochester, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 5271578
- Journal Information:
- Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 210:4476
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Ambient Airborne Solids Concentrations Including Volcanic Ash at Hanford, Washington Sampling Sites Subsequent to the Mount St. Helens Eruption
Preliminary report on physical, chemical and mineralogical composition and health implications of ash from the Mount St. Helens eruption of May 18, 1980
Related Subjects
ASHES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FLUORIDES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
MT ST HELENS
ERUPTION
QUANTITY RATIO
WASHINGTON
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
FEDERAL REGION X
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
RESIDUES
USA
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)