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Title: Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors

Abstract

The accumulation of plutonium (/sup 238/Pu) and americium (/sup 241/Am) in seeds and roots of Phaseolus vulgaris L. was investigated following foliar interception. Under controlled conditions plants were exposed to well-characterized aerosols of fresh and aged Pu-dioxide, fresh Am-oxides, and Pu-nitrate and Pu-citrate complexes to assess the influence of chemical form and long-term weathering on foliar absorption and subsequent translocation to other plant parts. Mean values for Pu and Am accumulated in seeds and roots 28 days after foliar exposure ranged from 9 to 427 x 10/sup -4/% of that deposited on foilage. These results and previous plant uptake studies indicate that the foliar route is potentially of equal importance to the soil-root pathway as a route of transport. The levels of Pu and Am in seeds and roots resulting from foliar absorption and translocation from foilage were significantly affected by simulated rainfall and by the size of particles to which foilage was exposed. The influence of relative humidity and solution aging of oxides was less definitive; however, results suggest that either or both may infuence foliar absorption and subsequent translocation of Pu and Am to seeds and roots.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA
OSTI Identifier:
5195936
DOE Contract Number:  
EY-76-C-06-1830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 9:3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; AMERICIUM 241; BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION; FOLIAR UPTAKE; BEANS; RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION; PLUTONIUM 238; AEROSOLS; AMERICIUM OXIDES; CITRATES; DATA COMPILATION; HUMIDITY; PARTICLE SIZE; PLUTONIUM COMPLEXES; PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE; PLUTONIUM NITRATES; RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; ROOT ABSORPTION; SEEDS; TABLES; UPTAKE; ACTINIDE COMPLEXES; ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; ACTINIDE ISOTOPES; ACTINIDE NUCLEI; ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; AMERICIUM COMPOUNDS; AMERICIUM ISOTOPES; CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS; CHALCOGENIDES; COLLOIDS; COMPLEXES; DATA; DATA FORMS; DISPERSIONS; ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; FOOD; HEAVY NUCLEI; INFORMATION; ISOTOPES; MASS TRANSFER; NITRATES; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; NUCLEI; NUMERICAL DATA; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS; PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES; PLUTONIUM OXIDES; RADIOISOTOPES; SIZE; SOLS; TRANSPLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS; TRANSURANIUM COMPLEXES; TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS; VEGETABLES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 510302* - Environment, Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987); 560173 - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)

Citation Formats

Cataldo, D A, Garland, T R, Wildung, R E, and Thomas, J M. Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors. United States: N. p., 1980. Web. doi:10.2134/jeq1980.00472425000900030007x.
Cataldo, D A, Garland, T R, Wildung, R E, & Thomas, J M. Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors. United States. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1980.00472425000900030007x
Cataldo, D A, Garland, T R, Wildung, R E, and Thomas, J M. 1980. "Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors". United States. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1980.00472425000900030007x.
@article{osti_5195936,
title = {Foliar absorption of transuranic elements: influence of physiochemical form and environmental factors},
author = {Cataldo, D A and Garland, T R and Wildung, R E and Thomas, J M},
abstractNote = {The accumulation of plutonium (/sup 238/Pu) and americium (/sup 241/Am) in seeds and roots of Phaseolus vulgaris L. was investigated following foliar interception. Under controlled conditions plants were exposed to well-characterized aerosols of fresh and aged Pu-dioxide, fresh Am-oxides, and Pu-nitrate and Pu-citrate complexes to assess the influence of chemical form and long-term weathering on foliar absorption and subsequent translocation to other plant parts. Mean values for Pu and Am accumulated in seeds and roots 28 days after foliar exposure ranged from 9 to 427 x 10/sup -4/% of that deposited on foilage. These results and previous plant uptake studies indicate that the foliar route is potentially of equal importance to the soil-root pathway as a route of transport. The levels of Pu and Am in seeds and roots resulting from foliar absorption and translocation from foilage were significantly affected by simulated rainfall and by the size of particles to which foilage was exposed. The influence of relative humidity and solution aging of oxides was less definitive; however, results suggest that either or both may infuence foliar absorption and subsequent translocation of Pu and Am to seeds and roots.},
doi = {10.2134/jeq1980.00472425000900030007x},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5195936}, journal = {J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 9:3,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980},
month = {Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980}
}