Fate of plutonium intercepted by leaf surfaces: leachability and translocation to seed and root tissues
A low windspeed plant exposure chamber was employed for the generation and deposition of particulate $sup 238$Pu as nitrate, citrate, and oxide (fresh and aged) onto foliage of Phaseolus vulgaris. Physical deposition characteristics and particle sizing were routinely measured and deposition parameters calculated. At wind speeds of 0.42 cm sec$sup -1$, deposition velocities for these compounds were of the order 10$sup -3$ cm sec$sup -1$ with deposition rates onto exposed foliage of 0.26 to 0.52 pg $sup 238$Pu cm$sup -2$ sec$sup -1$. The fate of surface deposited Pu compounds with respect to chemical modification and leachability was evaluated by leaching with synthetic rainwater and 0.1 percent HNO$sub 3$ solutions. Leaching of contaminated foliage with acidified solutions resulted in a 1-to-9 fold increase in Pu removal from foliar surfaces, depending upon chemical form, as compared to rainwater. Sequential leaching of foliage at 1, 7, 14, or 21 days after contamination indicated a reduced leachability of surface deposits with residence time on the leaf. The extent of leaching and concentration of soluble component was dependent on chemical form supplied (Pu-citrate greater than -nitrate greater than -aged oxide greater than -fresh oxide). The bioavailability of Pu as measured by translocation of foliarly deposited plutonium to root and seed tissue was markedly affected by the presence of a solution vector (i.e., simulated rainfall), and also the timing of its application. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
- NSA Number:
- NSA-33-005820
- OSTI ID:
- 4167379
- Report Number(s):
- BNWL-SA-5389; CONF-751105-15; SM-199/60
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: IAEA international symposium on transuranium nuclides in the environment, San Francisco, California, USA, 17 Nov 1975; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
N44300 -Environmental & Earth Sciences-Radioactivity Monitoring & Transport
N44340 -Environmental & Earth Sciences-Radioactivity Monitoring & Transport-Ecosystems & Food Cycles
560173* -Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies-Radiation Effects-Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-Plants
*PHASEOLUS- RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
*PLUTONIUM 238- TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
AEROSOL GENERATORS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CITRATES
DESIGN
LEAVES
NITRATES
OXIDES
PLANTS
REMOVAL
ROOTS
SEEDS