Transfer coefficient of 226Ra from vegetation to meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, on U mill tailings
The 226Ra level in vegetation growing on U mine tailings in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada, was 211 + 22 mBq g-1 (dry weight) compared to less than 7 mBq g-1 (dry weight) in material from a control site. Skeletons of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) established on the tailings had concentrations of 226Ra of 6083 +/- 673 mBq per animal in winter; 7163 +/- 1077 mBq per animal in spring; 1506 +/- 625 mBq per animal in summer; and 703 +/- 59 mBq per animal in fall, compared to less than 7 mBq per animal in controls. The /sup 226/Ra transfer coefficient from vegetation to voles (defined as total millibecquerels of /sup 226/Ra in adult vole per total millibecquerels of 226Ra consumed by the vole in its lifetime) was calculated as 4.6 +/- 2.9 X 10(-2) in summer and 2.8 +/- 0.6 X 10(-2) in fall.
- Research Organization:
- Laurentian Univ., Sudbury, Ontario
- OSTI ID:
- 5368206
- Journal Information:
- Health Phys.; (United States), Vol. 6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
RADIUM 226
UPTAKE
VOLES
RADIOACTIVITY
MILL TAILINGS
ONTARIO
PLANTS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADIUM
SEASONS
URANIUM
URANIUM MINES
ACTINIDES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ANIMALS
CANADA
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MINES
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RODENTS
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
510302 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)