Comparative uptake of actinides by plants and rats from the shoreline of a radioactive pond

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1981.00472425001000040013x· OSTI ID:5874827

Garten, C T

To compare the bioaccumulation of several actinide elements by plants and rats from a contaminated pond shoreline, concentrations of /sup 233/U, /sup 238/U, /sup 241/Am, /sup 244/Cm, and /sup 239/Pu were measured radiochemically in shoreline sediment, emergent macrophytes, cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), and soil and fescue grass (Festuca sp.) collected 3-5 m away from the shoreline, of a former low-level liquid radioactive waste pond. The relative extractability of actinides from the shoreline sediment using 1M HNO/sub 3/ and 0.01M HCl was U > AM = Cm > Pu. Actinide concentrations in shoreline plants, expressed as geometric means, were 2-150 times greater than in fescue collected away from the pond shoreline. Concentrations of actinides in rat gastrointestinal tracts were greater than or equal to concentrations in shoreline plants. From a comparison of plant/sediment and rat-carcass/sediment or rat-carcass/plant concentration ratios, the conclusion is that the relative uptake of actinides by plants and rats from the pond shoreline was Pu < Am less than or equal to Cm < /sup 233/U = /sup 238/U.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5874827
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 10:4; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520302* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring &amp; Transport-- Aquatic Ecosystems &amp; Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM 241
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CURIUM 241
CURIUM ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FOOD CHAINS
GRASS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MAMMALS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLANTS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PONDS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RATS
RODENTS
SEDIMENTS
SOILS
SURFACE WATERS
UPTAKE
URANIUM 233
URANIUM 238
URANIUM ISOTOPES
VERTEBRATES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES