THE ABSORPTION OF RADIOACTIVE STRONTIUM BY PLANTS UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1959 · Reactor Sci.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0368-3265(59)90062-3· OSTI ID:4190809

Milbourn, G M; Ellis, F B; Russell, R S

The absorption of radioactive strontium by crop plants was investigated in field experiments on six soils which represent a wide range of arable land in Britain. Sr/sup 89/ was applied as a spray, and cultivation procedures were employed to place it at different depths below the soil surface. Three test crops were Brown in each experiment. In a grass-clover pasture mixture ploughed to the depth of 12 in. the absorption of Sr/sup 89/ and the ratio of Sr/sup 89/ to Ca in plants was found to be on the average less than 30% of that observed when the Sr/sup 89/ was left on the surface. Only small effects of placement occurred with deeper rooted species. When established pasture was contaminated the level of Sr/sup 89/ in the tissues formed subsequently was up to 5 times higher than in grass sown on contaminated ground. The effects of the Ca status of the soil and of added lime were examined. The Sr/sup 89/ content of plants and the ratio of Sr/sup 89/ to Ca were highest when the soil was low in Ca (2 milliequivalents Ca per 100 g extracted with N ammonium acetate). Relatively small differences occurred when the soils contained more than 7 milli-equivalents of Ca. The effect of added lime was variable and differences between experiments cannot be attributed entirely to differences in soil calcium. (auth)

• Research Organization: Agricultural Research Council, Grove. Berks, Eng.; Agricultural Research Council, Field Station, Compton, Berks, Eng.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-001345
• OSTI ID: 4190809
• Journal Information: Reactor Sci., Journal Name: Reactor Sci. Vol. Vol: 10
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACETATES
AGRICULTURE
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CALCIUM
CONTAMINATION
METABOLISM
NITROGEN
PLANTS
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION EFFECTS
SOILS
STRONTIUM 89
TISSUES
UNITED KINGDOM